A high intake of saturated fat may have protective effects in people with established coronary artery disease

This study was published in the Journal of Nutrition 2015 Feb;145(2):299-305

Study title and authors:
Dietary intake of saturated fat is not associated with risk of coronary events or mortality in patients with established coronary artery disease.

Puaschitz NG, Strand E, Norekvål TM, Dierkes J, Dahl L, Svingen GF, Assmus J, Schartum-Hansen H, Øyen J, Pedersen EK, Drevon CA, Tell GS, Nygård O.
Departments of Heart Disease Departments of Clinical Science nathalie.genevieve.puaschitz@helse-bergen.no.

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25644351

This study investigated the associations between saturated fat intake and risk of subsequent coronary events and mortality in patients with established coronary artery disease. The study included 2,412 patients, average age 61.7 years, who were followed for 4.8 years.

The study found
(a) Patients who consumed the most saturated fat were 10.4% less likely to take statin drugs than patients who consumed the least saturated fat.
(b) Patients who consumed the most saturated fat had a 15% reduced risk of unstable angina pectoris, nonfatal acute heart attack and coronary death compared to patients who consumed the least saturated fat.

Puaschitz comments that: "A high intake of  saturated fat may have protective effects" and "When current prevention guidelines aim to limit the saturated fat intake to below 7–10% of energy, one can speculate whether this is appropriate in patients with coronary artery disease".