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High Triglycerides And Low Hdl

Procedures To Reduce Cholesterol

Triglycerides and HDL

Medical procedures that lower cholesterol levels are reserved for people with very high levels of LDL cholesterol that do not respond to diet and lipid-lowering drugs. Such people include those with familial hypercholesterolemia. LDL apheresis is the most commonly done procedure. LDL apheresis is a non-surgical procedure where blood is drawn from the person and the LDL component is separated from the rest of the blood in a special machine. The blood is then returned to the person.

Make The Changes Worth Making

If you have high blood cholesterol, making lifestyle changes is a great first step to lower your risk of heart disease. If those steps dont reduce your risk enough, your doctor may prescribe medications to help.

Remember: Making even modest changes now can help to prevent significant medical issues later. Do all you can to reduce your risk for the serious effects of heart attack and stroke.

How Do Triglycerides Get Into The Blood

When we eat foods containing triglycerides, such as meat, dairy products, cooking oils and fats, they are absorbed by our intestines and packaged into parcels of fats and protein called chylomicrons . These carry the triglycerides in the blood stream to our tissues to be used for energy straight away, or stored for later.

The body also makes its own supply of triglycerides in the liver. This form is carried in a different type of lipoprotein known as VLDL cholesterol.

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Controlling High Triglycerides: Medical Treatment

People with heart disease and high triglycerides may need medication to bring down their levels.

  • Fibrates can lower triglycerides. They modestly improve cholesterol levels, too.
  • Fish oilwith omega-3 fatty acids can help keep triglycerides under control. Ask your doctor whether you should use prescription fish oil. Omega-3 acids from plant sources like flaxseed may help.
  • Niacin can lower triglycerides by up to 50%. It’s available as a non-prescription supplement and as a prescription drug.

Remember that to stay healthy and keep your triglycerides down, you still have to focus on improving your lifestyle.

When you talk to your doctor, discuss all of the medicines, supplements, and vitamins you take. Some common drugs — like beta-blockers, birth control pills, and diuretics — can cause high triglycerides as a side effect. It’s possible that one of them could be causing your problem.

How Can You Naturally Lower Tg And Increase Hdl Levels

Know you good and your bad fats.... HDL plant based fats, vs LDL animal ...

The most effective ways to improve your TG/HDL are:

  • Lose weight. Body fat used to be considered as an inert energy storage tissue. Now we know it is an endocrine tissue that releases chemicals that cause insulin resistance, prediabetes, and CV risk .
  • Eat fewer carbs. Get into a lower carbohydrate diet .
  • Exercise. Exercise increases HDL levels and lowers TG levels .
  • Take niacin. It is one of the few supplements that lowers TG , increases HDL cholesterol levels , and lowers LDL cholesterol levels .
  • Get dietary and supplemental omega-3s .

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Can Lowering Carbs Actually Improve Tg/hdl Rc And Cv Risk

Yes. There is plenty of evidence showing this. Multiple studies range from clinical trials in animals and humans to meta-analyses. Here are 4 of them:

  • The Abbasi study was a human clinical trial using a crossover design. People ate high carbs for 2 weeks, then low carbs for 2 weeks, with a washout period of 2 weeks in between. The high-carb diet doubled TG levels, tripled remnant cholesterol, and lowered HDL by 15% .
  • The Wang study is a randomized clinical trial in laboratory mice .
  • The Volek study is a meta-analysis. It reviews pre-2005 studies which had already shown that low-carb diets decrease triglycerides and remnant cholesterol while increasing HDL cholesterol level .
  • The Ebbeling study was also a human subjects clinical trial. It was done at Harvard. Subjects on a low-carb diet had lower TG and higher HDL cholesterol. Also, researchers showed that low-carb diets were less likely to result in weight rebound due to improved energy expenditure and leptin .

My name is Ford Brewer. My team and I work to prevent heart attack, stroke, cancer, and dementia. Our goal is to help you understand how to prevent major killers and disablers. Most of them are driven by the process of cardiovascular inflammation.

If you want to know more about the science of preventive medicine or you have questions about certain aspects of your health, check out our webinars, membership programs, and online courses.

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How Do Triglycerides Circulate In The Blood

Pure cholesterol cannot mix with or dissolve in the blood. Instead, the liver packages cholesterol with triglycerides and proteins called lipoproteins. The lipoproteins move this fatty mixture to areas throughout the body.

Types of these lipoproteins include very low-density lipoproteins , high-density lipoproteins and low-density lipoproteins .

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Consequences Of Low Hdl High Triglycerides

Cholesterol gets deposited easily in the blood vessels of these patients and the build-up of cholesterol cannot be cleansed out efficiently due to low level of HDL cholesterol. Consequently, these patients are at very high risk for narrowing of the blood vessels.

HDL cholesterol and triglyceride level serves as an extremely useful test to diagnose Insulin Resistance Syndrome. If your HDL is low and/or your triglyceride level is high, you have Insulin Resistance Syndrome.

Low HDL cholesterol has been known to be a strong risk factor for coronary artery disease for a long time. In 1977, the results of the famous Framingham Heart Study were published in the American Journal of Medicine. In this study, HDL cholesterol was found to be the most potent lipid predictor of coronary heart disease.

Several other studies including the Coronary Primary Prevention Trial , the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial , and the Lipid Research Clinics Follow-up Study further confirmed the strong relationship between low HDL cholesterol and coronary artery disease.

Raising HDL cholesterol reduces the risk for heart attack. A 1% increase in HDL cholesterol is associated with a 3% decrease in risk of heart disease. This impressive role of HDL cholesterol in preventing heart attack was shown in the famous Veterans Affairs HDL Intervention Trial . The results of this study were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1999.

What Is Total Cholesterol

Triglyceride/HDL Ratio – A Better CV Risk Predictor than LDL? (Part 1)

Total cholesterol can be determined in two ways. It can either be directly measured in the blood, or more commonly, it can also be calculated. The calculation takes into account the two main forms of cholesterol HDL and LDL as well as a small fraction of triglycerides. Any one of these three components can skew total cholesterol values. Heres a brief definition of each:

HDL: High density lipoprotein is a protective form of cholesterol that helps to remove harmful particles from circulation before they can cause damage to blood vessels. This process earned it the nickname good cholesterol.

LDL: Low density lipoprotein is a potentially dangerous type of cholesterol that can become oxidized , which can lead to the hardening of arteries. If LDL builds up, it can lead to blockages which can cause serious cardiovascular incidents. LDL is therefore aptly referred to as the bad cholesterol.

Triglycerides: A form of stored fat that circulates in the bloodstream usually from excess weight, calories, alcohol, lack of exercise, liver damage, or genetics.

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Low Triglycerides And High Ldl

According to the American Heart Association, triglycerides are fats made in the body from other nutrients such as carbohydrates. If you eat calories that are not used immediately, they are converted into triglycerides and transported to fat cells to be stored.

Because LDL comes from two sources the foods you eat and heredity it is possible to have low triglycerides along with high LDL by eating a healthy diet while your body produces high levels of LDL. The American Heart Association says about 75 percent of your total cholesterol is manufactured in your liver and other cells.

Recommendations For Evaluation And Management

Table 1 outlines a management approach to patients with hypertriglyceridemia based on the TG cut points defined by ATPIII and the AHA statement on TG . Elevated levels of non-HDL-C are predictive of cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular disease mortality, similar to the predictive value of apoB and as good as, or better than, that of LDL-C . NonHDL-C is total cholesterol minus HDL-C, which is the sum of VLDL-C, IDL-C and LDL-C. Therefore, non-HDL-C includes the cholesterol in all of the atherogenic apoB-containing lipoproteins: TG-enriched lipoproteins, CMs, CM remnants, VLDL and VLDL remnants, IDL, LDL and lipoprotein . Non-HDL-C is accurate and reliable in a nonfasting state therefore, measurement of non-HDL is practical and easy . When lipid levels are normal, non-HDL-C is highly correlated with apoB levels . Because high LDL-C and TG confer greater risk for CHD than high LDL-C alone, NCEP ATP III guidelines and the European Society of Cardiology and European Atherosclerosis Society guidelines recommend the use of nonHDL-C as a secondary target of therapy when the serum TG level is 2.26 mmol/L after achieving LDL-C target with non-HDL-C goal 0.8 mmol/L higher than LDL-C goal .

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Does Your Total Cholesterol Number Even Matter

As one of the most ordered lab tests, total cholesterol can provide a high level glance at how your body is handling lipids, or fats. According to the CDC, roughly nine percent of all doctors visits include a cholesterol test.1 So, how should you interpret your total cholesterol value? Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts?

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Low Levels Are Usually Protective

How To Figure Out Hdl Ldl Ratio / Association of Triglyceride

It is well known that high triglycerides are dangerous, but little is known about the influence of low levels on health. Studies suggest that in healthy people, low triglyceride levels are beneficial. Low triglycerides are also good for people with diabetes and might also be protective against heart attacks .

One study even suggests that the lower a persons triglycerides are, the less likely they will be to die from any cause. In this study, almost 14k people were followed for 24 years. The scientist found that levels below 89 mg/dL thats almost twice lower than the borderline-normal value of 150 mg/dL were associated with a 41% lower risk of dying than high levels

So can your levels ever be too low to do any harm?

We still dont have any definitive answers, but we can look for some clues.

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Why Is Tg/hdl Important

TG/HDL is important because it is an important predictor of risk for heart disease. It is also a marker of insulin resistance, and insulin resistance is the major cause of prediabetes, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.

The Womens Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation study studied 544 women referred for CV disease evaluation . The TG/HDL ranged from 0.3 to 18.4. It was a powerful predictor of all mortality and cardiovascular events.

This chart shows the WISE study range of TG/HDL. Individuals with lower TG/HDL had lower CV disease risk.

Normal Cholesterol With High Triglycerides What Is That

When measuring total cholesterol levels, low-density lipoprotein , high-density lipoprotein , and triglycerides are used in the measurement.

For adults, standard cholesterol levels are:

  • Less than 200 mg/dL is desirable
  • Between 200 239 mg/dL is considered borderline
  • Over 240 mg/dL is considered high

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Does Ethnicity Matter In Terms Of Tg/hdl

TG/HDL appears to vary by ethnicity. Ratios are higher in Hispanic Americans than non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic Blacks .

Thus, many say that we should go target different levels based upon ethnicity. Those same scientists have said that a TG/HDL of 2.0 is diagnostic of prediabetes for African-Americans.

Although the patterns of TG/HDL vary by ethnicity, I do not recommend focusing on this. There are several reasons, such as the fact that ethnicities are often mixed and unknown.

But the biggest reason is that TG/HDL is an indicator of the health of insulin and glucose metabolismthe lower the ratio, the better the patients health. Not to mention that most of the cut points used in research as markers for prediabetes are too high. For example, ratios of 2 and 3 confer risk, no matter what your ethnicity is.

A TG/HDL of 3 confers a higher risk for heart disease, so all of us should focus on this important number. No matter which ethnicity, the goal should be as low as possible. Like I mentioned in the previous section, I do recommend that my patients target 1.5 or less.

How To Prepare For The Test

What natural ways to lower high cholesterol & triglycerides levels? – Ms. Ranjani Raman

You should not eat for 8 to 12 hours before the test.

Alcohol and some medicines can interfere with blood test results.

  • Make sure your health care provider knows what medicines you take, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements.
  • Your provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines before you have this test.
  • DO NOT stop or change your medicines without talking to your provider first.

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How The Ldl Hdl Ratio And Triglycerides Tests Are Done :

If your doctor wants LDL HDL ratio and Triglycerides tests on you, you may need to go through these tests. During the LDL HDL ratio and Triglycerides blood tests, a pathologist will put a needle into your veins and take out a small quantity of blood. A pathologist is a physician in the medical field who thoroughly studies the causes and effects of disease. Within a few hours you will get your LDL HDL ratio and Triglycerides Test reports by your pathologist.

How Often Should I Get A Cholesterol Test

When and how often you should get a cholesterol test depends on your age, risk factors, and family history. The general recommendations are:

For people who are age 19 or younger::

  • The first test should be between ages 9 to 11
  • Children should have the test again every 5 years
  • Some children may have this test starting at age 2 if there is a family history of high blood cholesterol, heart attack, or stroke

For people who are age 20 or older::

  • Younger adults should have the test every 5 years
  • Men ages 45 to 65 and women ages 55 to 65 should have it every 1 to 2 years

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New Eas Statement On High Triglycerides Low Hdl Cholesterol

June 27, 2011 An expert consensus panel from the European Atherosclerosis Society has issued new recommendations for the management of patients with elevated triglycerides and low HDL-cholesterol levels . For patients with high triglycerides or low HDL-cholesterol levels, the first task is lifestyle modification, but barring that, fibrates, niacin, or even the intensification of statin therapy is recommended.

Interestingly, the recommendations are published on the heels of the discontinuation of the Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome with Low HDL Cholesterol/High Triglyceride and Impact on Global Health Outcomes study. As reported by heartwire, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institutesponsored study of high-dose extended-release niacin , given in addition to statin therapy in patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, high triglycerides, and low levels of HDL cholesterol was halted 18 months ahead of schedule because niacin offered no additional benefits in this patient population.

The purpose of the new consensus statement is to also remind the clinical community that targeting triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and low HDL cholesterol can provide a further reduction in cardiovascular risk for patients with metabolic abnormalities who are already at LDL-cholesterol goal.

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References

Finding Out Your Triglycerides Levels

How much hdl cholesterol is normal â Health News

Triglycerides are measured with a simple blood test. Triglyceride levels should be measured when you have a cholesterol test as they can also contribute to your risk of developing heart disease, and other disease of the heart and blood vessels. The triglyceride test measures the triglycerides carried in chylomicrons and VLDL cholesterol. National guidelines in the UK no longer recommend a fasting blood test .

What should your triglyceride levels be?

HEART UK experts state that we should aim for a non-fasting triglyceride level below 2.3mmol/L.

If your doctor has asked you to fast for a test then your triglyceride level should be below 1.7mmol/L. This “fasting test” number is lower because only the triglycerides made by the liver and carried in the VLDL cholesterol will be measured not the triglycerides you get from food. As you have not eaten, there will be no chylomicrons present in your blood.

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Your Test Results: A Preview

Your test results will show your cholesterol levels in milligrams per deciliter of blood . Your total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol are among numerous factors your doctor can use to predict your lifetime or 10-year risk for a heart attack or stroke. Your doctor will also consider other risk factors, such as age, family history, smoking status, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Lipid profile or lipid panel is a blood test that will give you results for your HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and total blood cholesterol.

Watch an animation about cholesterol score.

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