Oxidative Stress and Cardiovascular Disease

This chapter provides a brief understanding of the nature of free radicals and reactive oxygen/nitrogen species and their function in normal human physiology and pathology. It describes how oxidative stress in atherosclerotic plaque leads to the modification of both lipid and protein constituents of plasma lipoproteins and contributes to the pathological changes found in the artery wall. The chapter outlines endogenous antioxidant mechanisms and the contribution of dietary antioxidants to the limitation of oxidant stress. It describes the mistaken thinking behind earlier attempts at interventions using dietary antioxidants. The chapter considers the availability and value of standard and new biomarkers for oxidant stress in relation to cardiovascular disease and describes what is known of the effects of dietary antioxidants on these biomarkers. It indicates the most promising lines of investigation. The evidence that oxidative stress plays a role in the development of atherosclerotic plaques is widely accepted despite the failure of trials concerning antioxidant supplementation.