Postprandial lipid metabolism.

Several studies have shown that patients with coronary artery disease have an elevated plasma triglyceride response to a fat-rich meal. Recent evidence suggests that postprandial triglyceridemia is in fact an independent predictor of coronary and carotid atherosclerosis. In order to further characterize postprandial lipid metabolism, recently published studies have investigated the role of liver-derived lipoproteins in determining the magnitude of postprandial triglyceridemia, and have further defined the effect of glucose intolerance and lipid-lowering drugs on postprandial plasma lipoprotein parameters.