CARDIOVASCULAR LESIONS AND CHANGES IN BLOOD COAGULATION AND FIBRINOLYSIS ASSOCIATED WITH DIET-INDUCED LIPEMIA IN THE RAT*

Abstract

A group of rats given a diet including cholesterol, sodium cholate, thiouracil, and butter showed (1) Marked increase in blood lipids; cholesterol, total fatty acids, and total phospholipids including ethanolamine phosphatide and serine phosphatide. (2) Changes in blood coagulation and fibrinolysis favoring thrombosis: (a) acceleration of the clotting time of thromboplastin generation, Quick prothrombin time, and Stypven time, and increase in prothrombin, fibrinogen, and factor VII; (b) prolongation of streptokinase induced fibrinolysis. (3) Pathological lesions, including atheromatous lesions, myocardlal and renal infarcts, and thrombus - like masses, without clear cause and effect relationship among these three groups of lesions. There was a concurrence among lipemia, clotting changes, and cardiovascular lesions, yet, cause and effect relationship was not established. Conclusions should be considered in the light of the limitations imposed by the nature of experiments.