Decreased removal of triglycerides from the blood — a mechanism for the hypertriglyceridemia in male patients with coronary artery disease

We determined serum apolipoprotein A I and A II concentrations and triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in serum lipoprotein density classes in 28 male patients with severe ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and with angiographically verified coronary artery disease (CAD) and in age-matched controls. Both triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in very low density lipoproteins and in low density lipoproteins were higher in IHD-patients than in the controls. The triglyceride but not the cholesterol concentration in serum was higher in IHD-patients than in the controls. The cholesterol in high density lipoproteins and the serum apolipoprotein A I concentration were lower in IHD-patients than in the controls. At least in part the higher triglyceride concentration in very low density lipoproteins could be attributed to a decreased removal of triglycerides from the blood since the fractional removal rate of an i.v. injected artificial triglyceride emulsion (Intralipid) was slower in IHD-patients than in the controls.