Selenium and its Relation with Heart Disease

Selenium is one of the essential trace elements. Its possible etiopathogenetic role in human disease, when deficient, was first recognized with endemic cardiomyopathy (Keshan disease) seen in the Keshan region of China. Being the basic element of glutathion peroxidase, selenium's possible protective effect against injurious properties of free radicals has been brought into view. For this reason, its possible effects in diseases !ike atherosclerotic heart disease, in which free radicals may play etiopathogenetic role, have been subject material of many investigations. In this review, selenium's relation with heart diseases has been examined under the light of the literature. Selenium defic iency has negative effects on mortality and morbidity in regurd to cardiomyopathy and coronary artery diseases. There is no clear data about the direct role of selenium status in the etiopathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, rather it is believed to be dominantly by an indirect way. Even though it can be said that, because of the positive effects, seleni um co-administration with standard therapy could before beneficial in selected cases, larger scale prospective studies are needed. The selenium intake in Turkey in general is within normal limits. Hence, no problems attributable to selenium deficiency are present.