Ernährung und periphere arterielle Verschlusskrankheit - Teil 1

In contrast to the better studied forms of cardiovascular diseases, the role of nutrition in peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) is poorly understood. This illustrates the fact that the current PAOD guidelines do not provide nutritional recommendations for the prevention or treatment of PAOD. Basically, a distinction must be made between nutritional patterns and individual nutrients or foods. The nutrients include folic acid and a folic acid deficiency could be associated with endothelial dysfunction, vasoconstriction and inflammation. A high-fiber diet is associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular events; however, no prospective studies have been able to show a positive influence on inflammatory activity or cardiovascular outcome in PAOD patients. The consumption of linseed, which contains a lot of alpha-linolenic acid, may be recommended for patients with PAOD. The classical Mediterranean diet is the traditional food pattern found in olive growing areas, such as Crete, Greece and southern Italy in the late 1950s and 1960s. It is a relatively high-fat diet, mainly made from monounsaturated fatty acids, with olive oil as the main source of fat. In addition, there is a low consumption of red meat or meat products and a low to moderate consumption of milk, dairy products (mostly yoghurt and cheese) and wine. A Mediterranean-style diet is effective in both primary and secondary prevention of PAOD.