Dietary cholesterol intake may promote myocardial infarction

Individuals consuming high amounts of cholesterol in their diet are at heightened risk of myocardial infarction (MI), as shown in a study.

The study included 180,156 veterans who participated in The Million Veteran Program, a prospective cohort database wherein genetic and nongenetic factors influencing chronic diseases are collected. These participants were grouped according to their energy‐adjusted cholesterol intake (<200, 200–299, 300–399, and ≥400 mg/d).

Mean age was 62 years across all cholesterol categories, and most participants were male (90 percent) and White (80 percent). Increased dietary cholesterol intake correlated with decreased frequency of vigorous exercise. Furthermore, the proportion of participants taking statin medication and additional lipid medications increased with increasing dietary cholesterol intake quartiles. Participants in the higher dietary cholesterol quartiles had higher DASH scores and had greater consumption of eggs, chicken or turkey, processed meats, cheese, and fish.

Over a mean follow‐up of 3.5 years, dietary cholesterol intake showed a linear dose–response association with the risk of MI. Each 100‐mg/d increment in cholesterol intake contributed to a 5-percent increase in MI risk (relative risk [RR], 1.05, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.08). Of note, the risk was 15-percent higher among participants who consumed >300 mg/d of cholesterol than among those who consumed less (RR, 1.15, 95 percent CI, 1.06–1.25).

The findings underscore the potential of reducing cholesterol intake, which can be achieved by decreasing the intake of meat and eggs, in mitigating the risk of MI.