Combined Vitamin C and E Supplementation Retards Early Progression of Arteriosclerosis in Heart Transplant Patients

The development of arteriosclerosis is the limiting factor for the long-term survival and the major cause of mortality in patients with heart transplants. Various factors, including oxidative stress, contribute to the progression of the disease. In a recent clinical trial using the intravascular ultrasound technique, which detects the early stages of disease development, supplementation with vitamins C and E retarded the progression of coronary arteriosclerosis during the early stage following cardiac transplantation.