Cardiovascular Health: Risk Factors, Diet, and Protein Metabolism

Posted on Feb 3, 2025 in Human Nutrition and Dietetics

Cardiovascular Disease: Risk Factors and Prevention

Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)

  • Hypertension
  • Age: Over 55 years for males, over 65 years for females
  • Diabetes
  • Increased LDL cholesterol (or low HDL cholesterol)
  • Estimated glomerular filtration rate below 60 mL/min
  • Family history of premature CVD
  • Obesity
  • Physical inactivity
  • Microalbuminuria
  • Snuff consumption (cigarettes)

Dietary Recommendations for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction

  • Balance calorie intake and physical activity to obtain and/or maintain a healthy body weight.
  • Follow a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and high-fiber foods.
  • Eat fish (particularly oily fish) at least twice a week.
  • Minimize the consumption of beverages and foods with added sugar.
  • Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.
  • If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

Objectives in Hypertension

90-95% of individuals with hypertension have essential or primary hypertension. The goal of treating hypertension is to reduce morbidity and mortality from stroke, heart disease, and nephropathy. A medical history should include weight, physical activity, assessment of sodium intake, alcohol consumption, saturated fat intake, and caffeine intake.

Diet Therapy in Hypertension

  • Weight loss: More effective than a diet low in sodium and high in potassium.
  • Moderate exercise
  • Moderate salt restriction: 6g of salt or 2400 mg Na/day
  • Changes in food processing for lipid recommendations
  • Treatment of hypercholesterolemia in circulation

Diet Therapy in Myocardial Infarction

The consumption, digestion, absorption, and metabolism of food require a high cardiac demand, so it is recommended to have small, frequent meals.

  • Overweight: Limit caloric intake to 1200-1500 Kcal/day to avoid extreme temperatures.
  • Lipids: Follow a healthy diet (<30% fat).
  • Reduce sodium consumption.
  • Texture: Soft, easily digestible foods to minimize the effort of swallowing, digestion, etc.

Protein: Functions, Digestion, and Metabolism

Protein Function

Proteins have regulatory functions and are raw materials for the formation of digestive juices, hormones, plasma proteins, hemoglobin, vitamins, and enzymes that carry out chemical reactions in the body. Proteins are defensive in antibody formation and regulatory factors that act against infections or foreign agents. They also play a role in transport, such as oxygen transport proteins like hemoglobin in the blood. Proteins act as biological catalysts: enzymes that accelerate the speed of chemical reactions of metabolism.

Protein Digestion and Absorption

  • Stomach: Proteins are denatured by the action of HCl. Pepsin initiates protein digestion.
  • Small intestine: Intestinal and pancreatic proteases complete digestion. Amino acids are absorbed and enter the bloodstream.

Fate of Amino Acids

  • Protein synthesis
  • Protein turnover
  • Acquisition of amino nitrogen molecules
  • Synthesis of urea for excretion

Nitrogen Balance

  • Intake: 100-150 g of protein per day, containing about 17.5 g of nitrogen (100%).
  • Excretion:
    • Urine: Approximately 15 g daily (85%).
    • Fecal: 1 to 2 g daily (9%).
    • Other losses: Desquamation, hair loss, gland secretions, mucus, semen, blood, approximately 1 g per day (6%).
    • Total losses: 17 g of nitrogen (100%).

Nitrogen Intake: Dietary protein
Nitrogen Excretion: Deamination of amino acids, with amino groups converted to urea for excretion.

Classification of Dietary Amino Acids

  • Essential: The body lacks mechanisms to synthesize these.
  • Non-essential: They can be synthesized by the body.
  • Semi-essential: They may be essential under certain conditions.