For those who have already had a heart attack or a
stroke, the combination of statins and Mediterranean
Diet appears to be the most effective choice to reduce
the risk of mortality, especially from cardiovascular
causes. The traditional Mediterranean diet is rich in
fruit, vegetables, legumes, cereals, olive oil, wine in
moderation, fish and low in meat and dairy products.
Researchers also analyzed the potential underlying
mechanisms of this positive interaction, so far poorly
explored, between drugs and eating habits. Lead
researcher said that the favorable combination of
statins and Mediterranean Diet appeared to act, rather
than on cholesterol levels, by reducing subclinical
inflammation, a condition that predisposes to a higher
risk of illness and mortality. This finding is of
particular interest especially in the light of our
observation that a high level of subclinical
inflammation doubled the risk of mortality in patients
who already had a heart attack or stroke. Researcher’s
data suggest that focus should be more on the possible
interactions between food and drugs, an aspect largely
neglected in epidemiological research. Of course,
controlled clinical trials will be needed to clarify
these findings. New therapeutic possibilities could be
designed for those who have already had a cardiovascular
event, allowing a better modulation of the
pharmacological intervention in relation to life habits.
This is a new aspect of personalized medicine. |