Lipids of human myocardium

The major lipid classes, including some phospholipids, and their fatty acid profiles have been measured in portions of left ventricular muscle and psoas muscle obtained at autopsy. Atrial appendages and ventricular muscle removed during cardiac surgery were examined also. The proportions of the individual phospholipids were the same in all the muscles, having an excess of phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl serine compared with the serum. Their fatty acid profiles resembled those obtained from other locations. The triglyceride content of the myocardium was relatively constant (except in the atrial appendage) but did rise slightly with increasing obesity. The free fatty acid concentration in the myocardium was relatively high and had a variable fatty acid profile.