[Recomendations for clinical use of food enriched phytosterols/phytostanols handling hypercholesterolemia]

Abstract

Raised low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) plasma concentration is a major risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Despite international recommendations on hypercholesterolemia management the percentage of individuals with LDLc plasma concentration above goals according to their global cardiovascular risk remains high, and additional therapeutic strategies should be evaluated. Consumption of functional foods enriched with phytosterols (PSRs) and phytostanols (PSNs) reduces LDLc concentrations by 10% as average. Although recommended as part of any lipid-lowering diet in the first intervention step, PSRs/PSNs maintain their LDL reduction capacity when administered with lipid-lowering drugs; therefore, they can be also considered in some cases as an adjuvant to drug therapy. In this document we summarise the latest evidence regarding the LDL reducing effects of PSR/PSN supplementation, alone or as an add-on to hipolipemic drugs and the international recommendations of its clinical use.

Keywords: Cardiovascular risk; Fitoesteroles; Fitostanoles; Hipercolesterolemia; Hypercholesterolaemia; Phytostanols; Phytosterols; Riesgo cardiovascular.