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ABSTRACT
Cardiovascular disease is now considered an epidemic because of the human and financial burden it presents. Obesity is considered to be a major risk factor for chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, stroke, and specific forms of cancer. Dietary fat intake has been implicated to be responsible for the increase in adiposity. Human studies have shown that high-fat diet can easily induce obesity. Chronic exposure to high plasma levels of free fatty acids may cause accumulation of toxic lipid intermediates within cardiomyocytes, which has been related to cardiac lipotoxicity. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of high fat diet on the lipid profile and structural changes to the cardiac muscle and blood vessels of wistar rats. Thirteen (13) adult male wistar rats, weighing about 115–158g were bought from the animal holdings of the Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medical sciences, University of Benin. The animals were randomly assigned into two (2) groups with five animals in group A (control) and eight (8) in group B. Animals in group A served as control and were fed with normal feed with formula; protein-10%, carbohydrate- 74%, Mineral and salts- 6% and fat- 10%. Group B were fed with High fat diet with formula; protein-10%, carbohydrate- 35%, Mineral and salts- 5% and fat- 50%. The study was conducted over a period of six (6) weeks after which the rats were sacrificed under chloroform anesthesia. Blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture and the lipid profile test was carried out. The data obtained were presented as mean + SEM and analyzed for statistical significance by one way ANOVA using Graph Pad Prism Statistical Software, version 8.1. From the results obtained it was observed that there was a significant increase (P<0.05) in total cholesterol concentration, low density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration, high density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration and also in the triglyceride concentration in rats fed with high fat diet when compared to the control group. The histological procedure was carried out on the heart and some of its vessels (aorta, coronary artery) using haematoxylin and Eosin technique. The histology results obtained showed ulceration in the tunica media, hypertrophy in the tunica media and a narrow lumen in the aorta. The results also showed intimal ulceration, stenosis and media hypertrophy of the coronary artery and the presence of inflammatory cells in some muscles of the heart. This study has shown that an increase in high fat diet can lead to gradual degeneration in cardiovascular structures and also significant increase in the level of cholesterol and other fatty acids in the blood which can be detrimental to health.
