Shah Murad, Samina Karim, Hasan Raza.
Single blind placebo controlled study of psyllium fibres to reduce risk of myocardial infarction.
Biomedica Jan ;26(2):105-8.

Background: Recent research studies claim that myocardial infarction as a major cause of morbi-dity and mortality throughout the world. Among other risk and predisposing factors atheroscle-rosis is one of the major risk for myocardial infarction. Each 1% increase in the serum cholesterol concentration results in 2 to 3% increase in coronary heart disease risk. By lowering serum bad lipids, and increasing good lipid, i.e.; HDL – cholesterol, atherosclerosis may be prevented and so the prevention of myocardial infarction ensues. Research study was conducted to examine the effe-cts of Psyllium fibres to decrease bad? cholesterol (LDL – C, Triglycerides, and Serum Total Choles-terol) and increase, good? cholesterol (HDL – C) which prevent the risk of myocardial infarction (MI). It was single blind placebo controlled research study. Patients and Methods: Forty already diagnosed primary hyperlipidaemic patients were selected from Cardiology OPD of Jinnah Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Exclusion criteria were patients suf-fering from hypothyroidism, renal dysfunction, any hepatic disease. Consent Proforma was desi-gned and got the approval from "Research Ethical Committee of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Ce-ntre, Karachi". After explaining the limitations, consent was obtained from all study participants before they were recruited to the study. They were divided in two groups, 20 patients were on Psy-llium husk fibres, 10 gram daily in divided doses. And 20 patients were kept on placebo as control group. Lipid profile of all participants was estimated at day – 0 and at day – 90. All other vital functions of patients were also estimated and kept on record. They were advised to visit clinic fort-nightly. Results: When results were compiled at the end of this study, it was observed that two patients discontinued taking the drug, due to metallic taste of psyllium fibres. Psyllium decreased serum total cholesterol from 228.27 ± 4.89 mg/dl to 119.22 ± 2.30 mg/dl, 159.72 ± 5.70 to 129.55 ± 2.81 mg/dl, and increased serum HDL – Cholesterol from 34.61 ± 1.85 to 36.77 ± 1.96 mg/dl in three months of treatment. Data were expressed as the mean ± SD and "t" test was applied to determine statistical significance of results. P – value lesser than 0.05 was the limit of significance. Results of all parameters of lipid profile were significant when paired t test was applied for statistical ana-lysis. Conclusion: We concluded from this study that psyllium is an effective agent to maintain lipid profile parameters at normal limits in hyperlipidaemic patients, and normal limits of all lipid pa-rameters play major role in prevention of atherosclerosis and MI.

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