Fatty acid composition of serum lipids in wives of men with myocardial infarction.

Two groups of healthy married women, aged 40–70 years, have been studied to determine the concentrations of major serum lipid fractions and their fatty acid composition. One group consisted of wives of men with recent myocardial infarction, and the other of wives of healthy men. No significant differences were observed in cholesterol, phospholipids, or triglyceride concentrations between the two groups or in the fatty acid composition of these lipid fractions. It has previously been demonstrated that the linoleic acid percentages in the serum lipids of men with myocardial infarction are lower than in healthy men. If dietary factors are responsible for the low linoleic acid percentages in men with myocardial infarction, the reason lies in individual habits rather than in the particular dietary habits of their families.