Studies of the fatty acid composition in cholesterol esters, phospholipids and triglycerides in serum have been made in 73 men with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and in 32 healthy men of comparable age. Of the patients 36 had previously had a myocardial infarction or a history of angina pectoris, while for the other 37 the present attack was their first symptom of coronary heart disease (CHD). Significant differences in fatty acid composition were observed between the two groups of patients with higher percentages of linoleic acid in patients with old CHD. Since linoleic acid proportions in serum to a large extent reflect dietary habits, it is thought that patients with an old CHD have been more assiduous in following diet recommendations given to the whole population, advocating “cholesterol‐lowering diets”, than subjects with no history of cardiac disease. It is concluded that data concerning fatty acid composition in patients with a history of old CHD cannot be used to evaluate dietary habits prior to the manifestation of CHD. It was demonstrated that in patients with an AMI as the first manifestation of CHD linoleic acid percentages were lower than in controls. The finding indicates dietary habits in the patients characterized by a high intake of saturated and monosaturated fats, low intake of essential fatty acids, and possibly a high intake of simple sugars. Differences were also observed in pentaenoic and hexaenoic acids, with higher values in the patient group. This finding does not support the assumption that pentaenoic and hexaenoic acids are significant in the prevention of CHD. In a smaller number of patients, admitted to the hospital within 6 hours after the initial attack of pain, studies were made on admission and on the following morning. These studies gave no indication of important changes in fatty acid composition occurring during the first 24 hours of the disease; and since all studies reported here were performed within 24 hours after onset of the attack, the results are probably representative of preinfarction fatty acid composition.

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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.