Atherosclerosis & Arteriosclerosis
Atherosclerosis and Arteriosclerosis are cardiovascular diseases involving the accumulation of deposits on inner artery walls and the subsequent hardening and thickening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis involves deposits of small fat nodules (plaque), while the deposits in arteriosclerosis are predominantly composed of calcium.
Hypertension
Hypertension is a possible precursor of atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis, with deposits accumulating where arterial walls have been weakened by high blood pressure and the consequent narrowing causing even higher pressure.
Myriad diets have been formulated to study cardiovascular disease, such as elevated sodium to induce hypertension, as well as diets with elevated levels of cholesterol, fats, and cholate. Included are:
“Clinton-Cybulsky” Cholesterol Study Diets
58R4 (a/k/a D12102)
58R5 (a/k/a D12107)
58R6 (a/k/a D12108)
58R7 (a/k/a D12109)
See:
- Lichtman AH, Clinton S et al. Hyperlipidemia and Atherosclerosclerotic Lesion Development in LDL Receptor-Deficient Mice Fed Defined Semi purified Diets With and Without Cholate. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (1999) 19:1938-1944.
- Cybulsky MI, Iiyama K, Li H, Zhu S, Chen M, Iiyama M, Davis V, Gutierrez-Ramos J-C, Connelly PW, & Milstone DS. A major role for VCAM-1, but not ICAM-1, in early atherosclerosis. J. Clin. Invest. (2001) 107:1255-1262.
“Paigen” Atherogenic Diet
57BB (a/k/a C13002)
See: Paigen B, et al. Variation in susceptibility to atherosclerosis among inbred strains of mice. Atherosclerosis (1985) 57:65-73.
Cholesterol – Cholic Acid – Atherosclerosis Note: Many diets with added cholesterol also incorporate cholic acid (sodium cholate) to very effectively facilitate cholesterol absorption/utilization. However, cholic acid appears to be contraindicated for atherosclerosis studies and is not used by most researchers for such studies. Diet formulas can be modified to eliminate cholic acid.
See also:
TestDiet® 21st Century Western Diet™ Series
Differing sources of dietary fat alter the character of metabolic syndrome induced in the C57BL/6 mouse. Cunha TM, Peterson RG, & Gobbett TA (May, 2005)
Representative listing of references reporting how diet formulas have been used in research.