[Essential fatty acids and the platelet membrane in relation to aggregation].

In man as in animals, the intake of long chain saturated fatty acids (14:0, 16:0, 18:0) representing 95% of the human diet saturated fatty acids, induce a similar increase in platelet functions (coagulation and aggregation to thrombin) to this found in coronary patients or subjects highly susceptible to coronary disease. These platelet function abnormalities resemble those observed in essential fatty acids deficient animals both being characterized, in the platelet phospholipids, by an increase in 18:1 and 20:3 omega 9, at the expense of the fatty acids from the omega 6 series. The platelet function and composition changes can be reversed by increasing the dietary intake of 18:2, a specific effect (at least for polyunsaturated fatty acids) since it cannot be reproduced by a monoeme such as oleic acid.