Edible oils form an essential part of the modern diet. These oils play a role as an energy source, and provide the diet with many beneficial micronutrients. Although a popular conception may be that fat should be avoided, certain edible oils as a dietary supplement may play an important role in the improvement of cardiovascular health. CVD has become one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Dietary supplementation with different oils may have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. While olive oil and sunflower-seed oil are known to reduce serum cholesterol, fish oil has become well known for reducing potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Recently, red palm oil research has shown beneficial effects on cardiac recovery from ischaemia–reperfusion injury. It is clear that dietary supplementation with edible oils may play a vital role in reducing the mortality rate due to heart disease. The specific benefits and disadvantages of these oils should, however, be explored in greater depth. The present review will attempt to identify the benefits and shortcomings of four popular edible oils, namely olive oil, sunflower-seed oil, fish oil and palm oil. Additionally the present review will aim to reveal potential areas of research which could further enhance our understanding of the effects of edible oils on cardiovascular health.

The cardiovascular effects of Org 9487 during isoflurane anaesthesia have been evaluated using three doses around its ED90 for neuromuscular blockade, i.e. 1 mg kg−1, 2 mg kg−1 and 3 mg kg−1. Heart rate increased to 110%, 115% and 118% in patients receiving 1 mg kg−1, 2 mg kg−1 and 3 mg kg−1 respectively. There were no significant effects on systolic and diastolic blood pressures for the two lower dose groups. Patients receiving Org 9487 3 mg kg−1 displayed significant decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressures (91% and 82% of the control values respectively). Except for heart rate in the group receiving 3 mg kg−1, all measurements returned to baseline after a maximum of 15 min. Six patients experienced a transient increase in airway pressure after administration of Org 9487, which was accompanied by a decrease in oxygen saturation in two out of six subjects, but there was no audible wheezing. These episodes were self-limiting and required no treatment. There were no other adverse reactions to this drug during this study.