Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Key Facts about n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids
1. Dietary fatty acids are carboxylic acids with chains of carbon atoms named
according to the number of carbon atoms. h ey are divided according
to the presence of double bonds between carbon atoms in saturated (no
double bonds) and unsaturated fatty acids.
2. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are an important class of dietary acids
required for normal growth, development and optimal function of many
organs.
3. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids cannot be synthesized de novo in mammals
and are thus essential nutrients in the diet.
4. n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids serve as substrate for the production of
many cytokines play an important role in modulating the physical state of
biological membranes and modify membrane protein activities.
5. h e long-chained n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids of marine origin
(eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5, n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6, n-3))
especially have important regulatory functions in the inl ammatory
response in humans.
Definition of Terms
Atherosclerosis:
A disease af ecting arterial blood vessel, in which a chronic inl ammatory
response results in deposition of inl ammatory cells and lipids in the vessel wall.
Carotid endarterectomy:
A surgical procedure performed to remove atherosclerotic plaques
in the carotid arteries.
Coronary angiography:
A minimal invasive diagnostic procedure in which a contrast
medium is injected into the coronary arteries in order to evaluate the blood supply of
the myocardium.
Ischaemic heart disease:
A disease of the myocardium due to reduced blood supply mainly
due to atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries.
Restenosis:
Recurrence of a signii cant reduction in the luminal diameter of a vessel at er a
prior intervention (dilation).
References
Abe, Y. and B. El Masri, K.T. Kimball, H. Pownall, C.F. Reilly, K. Osmundsen, C.W. Smith,
and C.M. Ballantyne. 1998. Soluble cell adhesion molecules in hypertriglyceridemia and
potential signii cance on monocyte adhesion. Arterioscler. h romb. Vasc. Biol. 18: 723-
731.
Arnesen, H. 2001. n-3 fatty acids and revascularization procedures. Lipids 36 Suppl. S103-
S106.
