RESPONSIVENESS TO DIETARY INDULGENCE AMONG PATIENTS WITH PRIMARY HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA

We examined responsiveness to dietary indulgence among patients with t ype IIa or type IIb hyperlipidemia who followed the American Heart Ass ociation step 1 diet for at least 12 weeks. Low-density lipoprotein (L DL) cholesterol levels were 5.8+/-1.0 mmol/l in both groups. During th e Christmas season, participants doubled their intake of saturated fat for 16 days. Increases in total cholesterol levels were similar to ch anges predicted by Key's equation. The increase in high-density lipopr otein (HDL) cholesterol was significantly greater among type IIa than among type IIb patients (0.12 vs 0.03 mmol/l). The LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio increased only among type IIb patients. These resul ts may reflect impaired HDL cholesterol metabolism among the type IIb group.