Antioxidants and atherosclerosis

A large body of evidence supports the hypothesis that oxidation of low-density lipoprotein plays a key role in atherogenesis. Experimental atherosclerosis in animals can be prevented by natural and synthetic antioxidants. Clinical trials with antioxidants, which mainly used vitamin E, showed contrasting findings. Thus. among five secondary prevention trials with vitamin E, three were negative and two were positive. Several factors have been suggested to explain these conflicting results, including compliance, trial design, the dosage used and the source of vitamin E. Thus. the results of clinical trials leave open the issue of antioxidant treatment in human atherosclerosis. (C) 2002 The European Society of Cardiology.