Carnitine and Heart Disease Link
Based on the link between heart disease and Carnitine, what could a doctor predict about a patient who eats lots of meat?
a) Carnitine accumulation may explain the patient's high blood pressure.
b) Carnitine accumulation may explain the patient's low blood pressure.
c) Carnitine digestion may explain the patient's increased number of red blood cells.
d) Carnitine digestion may explain the patient's decreased number of red blood cells.
The correct answer is: a) Carnitine accumulation may explain the patient's high blood pressure.
Carnitine is a compound found abundantly in red meat, and its accumulation in the body can lead to reduced flexibility of blood vessels, potentially causing high blood pressure. This link between carnitine and heart disease has been studied by a team led by Dr. Stanley L. Hazen and Robert A. Koeth of the Cleveland Clinic.
When a patient consumes a lot of meat, the digestion of red meat increases the accumulation of carnitine in the body. This accumulation can result in decreased compliance of blood vessels, leading to increased pulse pressure and blood pressure. The stiffness of arteries also increases as carnitine levels rise, potentially contributing to arteriosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
Therefore, a doctor could predict that a patient who eats lots of meat may have high blood pressure due to carnitine accumulation and its effects on blood vessel flexibility.