When Should You See A Specialist About Your High Triglycerides
If triglycerides are above 10mmol/L, it may indicate familial hypertriglyceridaemia or some other underlying cause. In this situation, a referral should be considered to a Lipid Clinic or cardiologist.
People with extremely high triglycerides are at risk of a serious condition called acute pancreatitis, so its very important that treatment is attempted in these cases.
What Causes High Triglycerides
Aside from consuming a high-fat and/or high-carb diet, other lifestyle factors can contribute to high triglycerides, specifically excess weight, lack of exercise, drinking too much alcohol and smoking. Dr. Malaney adds that it can also be a side effect of certain medications, such as some birth control pills, beta blockers, antipsychotics medications, and corticosteroids.
Ldl Hdl Triglycerides And Total Cholesterol Explained
All these terms can be overwhelming. Cholesterol is carried in your bloodstream by carrier molecules called lipoproteins. The key lipoproteins involved in reporting cholesterol levels are low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein . Doctors analyze the interaction between LDL, HDL, and fats called triglycerides.
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Signs Of High Triglycerides
Signs that you may have high levels of triglycerides include: high blood pressure, fat around the belly, high blood sugar levels. High triglycerides can lead to metabolic syndrome, a collection of related metabolic disorders, that increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, and having a heart attack.
Around 23% of adults are affected by metabolic syndrome.
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What Qualifies As High Triglycerides
According to MedlinePlus , blood levels less than 150 mg/dL fall under the triglycerides normal range, while anything higherknown as hypertriglyceridemiacan increase risk for heart disease. Elevated triglycerides can also be a very early sign of diabetes, states Kristin Thomas, MD, a board-certified internist and co-founder of Foxhall Medicine in Washington, DC.
Extremely high triglyceridesblood levels over 500 mg/dLmay be due to a genetic disorder and can increase the risk of pancreatitis, along with heart disease, including atherosclerosis , Dr. Thomas, co-author of You Can Prevent A Stroke, explains. It can be seen alone or in association with many other conditions, as well, such as metabolic syndrome, hypothyroidism, fatty liver disease and kidney disease, Dr. Malaney says.
When And Why Triglyceride Levels Should Be Treated
Triglyceride levels are only part of the picture of cardiovascular disease risk, and whats normal can depend on your individual health factors. That said, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, triglyceride guidelines are defined as:
- Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL
- Borderline high: 150 mg/dL to 199 mg/dL
- High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
- Very high: 500 mg/dL and above
If you are in a category above normal, your doctor will likely recommend lifestyle changes and possibly discuss medications to normalize your levels and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. High triglycerides seem to create some increased levels of cardiovascular risk similar to LDL cholesterol, says Andrew Freeman, MD, a cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver. Triglycerides can play a role in the development of atherosclerosis, or the buildup of plaque in arteries that restricts blood flow and is associated with coronary heart disease, angina, and peripheral artery disease, says the AHA.
According to Mayo Clinic, high triglycerides can often be a sign of other conditions that raise your cardiovascular disease risk, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome, which is defined as having at least three out of a group of conditions: excess abdominal fat, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, reduced HDL cholesterol, and, of course, high triglycerides. Extremely high triglycerides can lead to pancreatitis, or inflammation of the pancreas.
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What Are The Different Triglyceride Levels
Triglycerides are a common fat in the bloodstream. They are a normal part of the blood and important for the body.
It is only when levels get abnormally high that a person may be at risk of negative health effects.
Testing reveals the triglyceride levels in the blood. As triglyceride levels increase, they fall into the following categories:
- Moderate hypertriglyceridemia: 150499 mg/dl
- Severe hypertriglyceridemia: 500 mg/dl or more
- Very severehypertriglyceridemia: 880 mg/dl or more
Desirable fasting levels of triglycerides are less than 150 mg/dl.
Triglyceride screening is typically just one part of a lipid profile blood test. The test will also check the levels of:
- total cholesterol
- low-density lipoprotein , or bad, cholesterol
- high-density lipoprotein , or good, cholesterol
Doctors may make specific recommendations ahead of the test. For example, they might ask the person to fast for
The ideal frequency of testing will depend on a persons age and other cardiovascular risk factors.
The recommend that adults undergo a cholesterol test every 46 years. The standard cholesterol test or lipid profile will measure triglyceride levels.
The test is simple and requires taking blood to test its contents.
The person may need to fast before the test. Fasting helps avoid the natural rise in triglyceride levels that happens right after a meal, giving the doctor a better idea of baseline levels.
What Are The Causes Of A High Triglyceride Level
Several factors can lead to high triglycerides level in your body. They include:
- Consumption of excess sugar-laden food regularly
- Liver and kidney ailments
- Rare genetic diseases
- Side effects of specific medications like diuretics, steroids, retinoids, beta-blockers, estrogen and progestin, immunosuppressants, and HIV drugs
How can you reduce triglycerides through healthy lifestyle choices?
It is possible to reduce the triglycerides level and bring it back to the normal range by following a healthy lifestyle. Incorporate the following changes to lead a fit and active life.
- Exercise regularly
Dedicate at least 30 minutes for physical activity five days a week. It will help you reduce the triglycerides and boost the formation of good cholesterol. You do not require visiting the gym every day. Incorporate physical activities in daily tasks like walking to local markets and stores, climbing stairs instead of using an elevator, and jogging or playing sport .
- Limit sugar and refined carbohydrates consumption
Stay away from food items containing a high dose of sugar and refined carbohydrates.. You can find them in cakes, pastries, cookies, and donuts.
- Shade extra weight
- Eat selectively
Include healthy fats in your diet. Use olive or canola oil as a cooking medium and try out fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids instead of red meat. Completely avoid food prepared with hydrogenated oils or trans fats .
- Limit alcohol consumption
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Total Cholesterol Aka Sum Of All Parts
A summation of the cholesterol carried in LDL particles, HDL particles, and other lipoproteins is known as the total cholesterol. A ratio of total cholesterol to HDL will help assess your risk of heart disease more than just total cholesterol does. To obtain this ratio, divide your total cholesterol by your HDL. A result of 5+ indicates an increased risk for those without heart disease. If you have heart disease, your resulting number should not be higher than 4.
Meet Your Team Of Healthcare Professionals Who Help Manage Your Heart Health
Healthcare professionals help people develop individual cholesterol-lowering strategies, which can include eating a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly, and taking a statin. While any physician can prescribe statin medication, the types of healthcare professionals described below typically treat high cholesterol.
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Know Your Triglyceride Numbers
A blood test called a lipid panel checks both your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Usually, your doctor will ask that you fast, or not eat or drink anything other than water, for 9-12 hours before the test. Youâll get blood taken from a vein in your arm. Some labs offer non-fasting lipid panels, or they may prick your finger for blood.
Here are the levels, based on a fastingblood test.
- Normal: Less than 150 mg/dL
- Borderline: 150 to 199 mg/dL
- High: 200 to 499 mg/dL
- Very High: 500 mg/dL or above
Anyone over age 20 needs to get regular tests to track their cholesterol and triglyceride levels, according to the American Heart Association.
How Are High Triglycerides Found
A blood test called a lipid panel measures triglycerides and cholesterol. You should have this test after fasting for at least 12 hours.
Adults should get this screening test every five years or sooner. If you have diabetes, a family history of high triglycerides, or other risk factors, you may need screening more often, according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Guidelines.
The first step for lowering triglycerides is to lose weight if you are overweight, exercise often, and eat a healthy diet low in saturated fat and sugar. Besides these lifestyle changes, you may also need drug treatment.
The NCEP defines borderline-high triglycerides as 150 to 199 milligrams per deciliter and high triglycerides as 200 to 499 mg/dL. Very high triglycerides are 500 mg/dL or higher. The Endocrine Society instead defines hypertriglyceridemia by its disease risk . Most people with high triglycerides have levels from 150 to 999 mg/dL, which puts them at risk for heart disease. Above 2,000 mg/dL poses a high risk for pancreatitis.
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Triglycerides Are Closely Related
Another thing to keep in mind is triglycerides, which are a type of fat or lipid that are most influenced by what we eat and they are closely related to cholesterol, said Dr. Kirley. Our triglyceride levels are changing throughout the day, and they can be a risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
When visiting your doctor for blood tests, what youre actually getting is a test of a few different forms of lipids or cholesterol, she added. We will also see what triglyceride levels look like when you get a cholesterol test done. Thats another thing a physician is looking at to decide whether they need to offer medications to manage those levels as well.
How Can You Lower Triglyceride Levels
Positive health and lifestyle changes will improve the levels of triglycerides in your body. Limiting the amount of fat and sugar you consume, being more active to burn off the triglycerides stored as fat for energy, limiting alcohol intake, staying at a healthy weight if you manage to lose weight. Quitting smoking can help reduce levels of triglycerides, as smoking can cause the body to store fat more readily.
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How Is A Lipid Disorder Diagnosed
To check your cholesterol levels, your doctor will order a blood test called a lipid profile, or lipid panel. This test measures your total cholesterol and triglycerides. Before this test, your doctor will likely ask you to avoid eating and drinking liquids other than water for at least 8 to 12 hours.
The lipid profile measures cholesterol in milligrams of cholesterol per deciliter . Your total cholesterol level should be no higher than 200 mg/dL. Learn how to understand your cholesterol results.
A combination of medications and lifestyle changes is a common treatment plan to correct high cholesterol and triglycerides. Your doctor may also suggest certain supplements.
Start Taking A Statin Medication
For most people who have moderate to high risk for heart attacks and strokes, the best thing that we can do to both impact their cholesterol levels and impact their overall risk for stroke and heart attack is start a statin medication, said Dr. Kirley. A statin medication changes the way cholesterol is metabolized in your body so that you ultimately have lower levels of cholesterol circulating in your bloodstream, particularly that LDL cholesterol that we worry about.
We often hear a lot of fear around taking statin medications, she said. Perhaps the biggest misconceptions I see are that these medications are not safe or that they cause other diseases.
Statin medications are among the most studied medications that we use in medicine. They have a wonderful safety profile and great evidence for effectiveness, Dr. Kirley added.
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There Are No Warning Signs
Typically, there are not really warning signs for people with high cholesterol, said Dr. Kirley, noting there are some relatively uncommon disorders where people can get physical symptoms like lesions on their skin, but those are quite uncommon.
For the most part, the only way you can get insight into your cholesterol levels and how they might play into your risk for heart attack and stroke is to be evaluated by your physician and have your levels tested with a blood test, she added.
Visit Ucf Healths Cardiologist Dr Bernard Gros Who Specializes In Lipid Disorders
UCF Healths Dr. Bernard Gros is a board certified cardiologist who specializes in lipid disorders like high triglycerides. Dr. Gros completed his medical degree at Emory University School of Medicine. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine at University of Michigan, followed by a fellowship in Cardiology at the same location. Dr. Gros has been with UCF Health College of Medicine since 2011, as one of the founding health care providers.
At UCF Health, our cardiologists use a collaborative care approach to serve patients in the best way possible and show you how to prevent heart disease. We strive to ensure that all members of the health care team are on board with the treatment plan and facilitate clear communication across specialties.
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Other Health Conditions Play A Role
There are many factors that contribute to high cholesterol like genetic family history and our environments, said Dr. Kirley, noting that we dont necessarily understand very well how our environments contribute to our cholesterol levels yet.
But having other health conditions can definitely impact your cholesterol levels, she said. For example, having type 2 diabetes and other inflammatory conditions can impact your cholesterol levels.
Other medications that you take can also impact your cholesterol levels, she added.
Symptoms Of High Triglycerides
There are usually no clear symptoms of high triglycerides which is why it is so important to have blood work done regularly to monitor these levels before they get out of hand.
In cases of severely high triglyceride levels, an individual may experience chest pain, numbness, dizziness or confusion. Consequently, when triglyceride levels get too high, the blood supply can become blocked to the heart and brain. Very high triglyceride levels can also cause fat deposits to develop under the skin and pancreatitis.
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High Cholesterol Runs In The Family
Oftentimes, one of the biggest factors that determines your cholesterol levels is your genes, said Dr. Kirley. How your genes affect your cholesterol is pretty complicated, but its safe to say that high cholesterol tends to run in families.
For most people, genetic testing isnt necessary or helpful unless they have very high cholesterol levels, she added. And because genes are something we cant change this is why medications are an important tool for treating high cholesterol.
What Are Normal Triglyceride Levels
A fasting blood test can show whether your triglycerides are normal- this is usually done as part of a routine fasting cholesterol test .
- Normal triglyceride levels are less than 1.7 mmol/L.
- 1.7 to 2 mmol/L is considered borderline high
- High levels are 2 to 6 mmol/L
- Very high levels are 6 mmol/L or higher
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Whats The Difference Between Cholesterol And Triglycerides
Triglycerides and cholesterol are both fats that circulate in the bloodstream, but they have different roles.
Triglycerides are used as fuel, and are stored in fat cells if not used
Cholesterol is used for a variety of functions
- to build cell membranes
- to make bile acids, which digest food
- to make hormones
- to allow the body produce Vitamin D
High LDL cholesterol , low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides have all been associated with a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Quite often a persons LDL and triglycerides are both raised at the same time. Healthy diet and active lifestyle may help, but sometimes medication is recommended.
Watch Your Alcohol Consumption
Weve talked about nutrition and physical activity, but alcohol consumption can definitely impact your cholesterol levels, said Dr. Kirley, adding that alcohol can raise triglyceride and cholesterol levels in your blood.
If triglyceride levels become too high, they can contribute to health problems like heart disease and fatty liver disease, she added. I find that many patients dont realize that alcohol can affect cholesterol and triglycerides, and this is just another reason to minimize alcohol consumption.
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Triglyceride Test Results And Disease Risk
Triglyceride Test Results and Disease Risk
| Level . |
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If your triglycerides are above normal, your doctor will find out if the cause is primary or secondary . Untreated secondary causes need treatment. If the cause is a medication, ask your doctor if you can switch to a medicine that does not raise triglycerides.
Your health care providers may check you for other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high blood glucose, and too much fat around your waist. They also may ask about your family history of abnormal lipids and heart disease. This helps to assess your future risk for having a heart attack or a stroke.