Increased platelet aggregation and decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in women on oral contraceptives.

In vivo platelet function, serum total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and serum triglycerides (TG) were determined in 26 women starting oral contraceptives (OCA). Studies were run prior to, and after one and two months of therapy. Platelet aggregation time decreased by 50 percent or more in eight of the 26 women from a pre-experimental mean value of 387 +/- 136 seconds. TC did not vary but after the women were on medication for two months, HDL decreased from 56 +/- 14.4 mg/dl to 52 +/- 12.3 mg/dl (p less than 0.05). There was a progressive increase in TG under treatment, 74 +/- 23.3 mg/dl on the pre-experimental measurement to 93 +/- 31.0 mg/dl after two months of therapy (p less than 0.005). Women planning to use OCA might best be advised to have aggregation and serum lipid studies done before and early in usage.

The influence of increased dietary linoleate on essential hypertension in man.

A pilot study testing the hypothesis of a blood pressure lowering effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids was conducted in Evans County, Georgia. A moderate increase of dietary linoleic acid significantly decreased diastolic blood pressure in eight borderline hypertensives who were otherwise healthy, within four weeks. The change was not due to a reduced sodium content of the diet. A significant increase in creatinine excretion and clearance was noted, indicating an improvement in kidney function which might explain the blood pressure lowering effect of the fat-modified diet.

Effect of stress due to anticipated minor surgery upon in vivo platelet aggregation in humans.

When measured just prior to hospital admission, platelet aggregation was faster and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were higher compared to measurements just prior to surgery and upon discharge fromthe hospital.

Beneficial effect of increased dietary linoleate upon in vivo platelet function in man.

The effect of increasing dietary linoleate upon in vivo platelet aggregation and disaggregation in 20 males and 46 female adult humans was studied. In creasing exogenous linoleate for 2 weeks from 2.89 +/- 0.11 to 5.00 +/- 0.26% of energy was associated with the doubling of the aggregation time and halving of the disaggregation time. Decreasing dietary linoleate in the following 2-week feeding period was associated with a reversal of the effect.

Titrating dietary linoleate to in vivo platelet function in man.

Platelet aggregation time significantly increased within 48 hours in response to an increase in dietary linoleate of 4% of calories while disaggregation time decreased significantly in 96 hours. A change as small as 0.5% of calories was associated with significant alterations within 4 days. In this group, dietary linoleate appears to be related to platelet function by the equations Aggregation time equals 41.14 plus 2.79 linoleate Disaggregation time equals 11.04 minus 25.52 linoleate.

Possible toxic water factor in coronary heart-disease.

Many reports indicate a significant negative correlation between death-rates for coronary heart-disease (C.H.D.) and water hardness. A reverse situation exists in the twin Kansas cities, U.S.A. Kansas City, Kansas, has water which is more than twice as hard as the softened water of Kansas City, Missouri, from the same source. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels were similar, but blood-pressure was higher in Kansas City, Kansas, and this correlated with higher serum-sodium, lower serum-potassium, and a tenfold higher serum-cadmium. Serum calcium and magnesium levels were higher in Kansas, while copper, chromium, cobalt, and zinc were higher in Missouri. The serum studies were con ducted on two matched groups of 260 adults from each of the sample cities. Hypertension may account for the reverse C.H.D. rate noted and be cadmium related.