ABSTRACT
Moderate alcohol intake is associated with a reduction in cardiovascular events (see Part III of this book). Alcohol consumption has numerous effects on various risk factors for cardiovascular disease including lipoprotein metabolism. Generally, alcohol consumption is associated with increased serum levels of very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL) [1,2]. The increase in HDL cholesterol has been estimated to account for half of the beneficial effects of alcohol consumption on cardiovascular events [3]. Lipoproteins consist of lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids) and proteins. The proteins on the surface can serve as ligands or co-ligands for receptors, activators or inhibitors of enzymes involved in lipid metabolism. Other chapters address the effect of alcohol intake on serum lipids and lipoproteins. This chapter will review some of the epidemiological studies on alcohol consumption and apolipoproteins as well as the effect of alcohol intake on the production and catabolism of various apolipoproteins in humans and various animal models.
APOLIPOPROTEIN A-I
