Cardiovascular disease and micronutrients - By: sulamita berrezi

Cardiovascular disease is the greatest cause of mortality in developed countries and diet plays an important role in contributing to the development and progression of ischemic heart disease (IHD). The inﬂuences of general nutrition and micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals on the progression of IHD are poorly understood and recent studies have done little to clarify the situation. A micronutrient can be regarded as any essential dietary component present in trace amounts. Micronutrients have multiple roles both as participants in many important metabolic processes throughout the body and to counter the oxidative stress resulting from normal metabolism and daily exposure to environmental agents. They can also serve to facilitate communications, aid muscle contraction, and main- tain stable tissue environments. The most common cause of micronutrient deﬁciency is a consequence of reduced dietary intake and the role of a particular micronutrient is often uncovered when the consequences of dietary deﬁciencies such as selenium deﬁciency.However, micronutrient deﬁciency in cardiovascular disease could also be a product of increased losses resulting from the condition, medical therapy, or increased requirements, for example, due to greater levels of oxidative stress. Acute supplementation of individual agents in patients with established coronary disease or at high risk of future events has generally been unsuccessful in randomised trials. Plasma calcium increases under the inﬂuence of vitamin D and its metabolites and parathormone. Calcitonin, a thyroid hormone, lowers plasma calcium by inhibiting bone resorption. Dietary salt, protein, and caffeine all increase urinary calcium loss. Calcium absorption is reduced in individuals over 70 because the gut may become less sensitive to vitamin D and also because of lower renal vitamin D synthesis.Magnesium, the major intercellular divalent cation, is a cofactor in reactions utilizing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and is essential for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) replication and ribonucleic acid (RNA) and protein synthesis. Magnesium is absorbed from the small intestine and excreted in the urine. Loop and thiazide diuretics increase magnesium loss. Magnesium deﬁciency is associated with an increase in the rate of ventricular ectopic beats, both in the presence of left ventricular dysfunctionand normal cardiac function. In rats, magnesium deﬁciency can increase the rate of adrenaline- induced ventricular tachycardia. Hypomagnesemia may potentiate the contractile response of smooth muscle to oxidizing agents, thereby accelerating atherosclero- sis.In animal studies, hypomagnesemia leads to hypertension, heart failure, and myocardial ﬁbrosis.

About the Author

Sulamita writes articles about la caduta dei capelli nella donna and L'operazione di trapianto di capelli , is a freelance writer about trattamento della calvizie.

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