Saturday, August 3, 2013

The Importance Of Triglycerides

By Hally Lieberman


Most people are familiar with cholesterol but are less knowledgeable about triglycerides. Elevated blood triglyceride level is a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease irrespective of so-called bad cholesterol (Low Density Lipoprotein [LDL]) and other established risk factors.

Parallel to elevated levels of fasting triglycerides, very high levels of non-fasting triglycerides may also worsen the risk for coronary heart disease. A growing interest in measuring this lipid in non-fasting individuals is mounting. The thought is that a non-fasting level may be more characteristic of the typical circulating level of triglyceride. Since most of the day blood lipid levels mirror a non-fasting level.

High triglyceride is the third leading cause of acute pancreatitis after gallstone disease and alcohol. A triglyceride molecule is a combination of three molecules of fatty acids plus glycerides. It is the most common form of fat that humans digest. Changes in lifestyle habits are first-line therapy for all lipid disorders, including elevated triglycerides.

A regular exercise schedule consisting of at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity (e.g., brisk walking), smoking cessation, and restriction of alcohol use and avoidance of high carbohydrate diets could help to reduce triglyceride levels in blood.

Patients with increased blood sugar level or uncontrolled diabetes may have higher level of triglycerides. Some drugs such as corticosteroids, protease inhibitors for HIV, beta blockers, and estrogens can increase blood triglyceride levels.

The American Heart Association, the US Department of Agriculture, and Health and Human Services recommend regular consumption of fatty fish (salmon, tuna, herring, sardines, mackerel, and trout) that provide omega-3 fatty acids (docosahexanoic acid [DHA] and eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]).

Eating 8 ounces of fatty fish in a week provides an average of almost 500 mg/d DHA and EPA.

Treatment containing of 4 g of omega-3 fatty acids per day resulted in a median decrease of triglycerides of almost 45%. For patients who have severe high blood triglyceride level (equal or greater than 500mg/dl), therapeutic options recommend dropping triglycerides by including in the patient's diet 4g/d omega-3 fatty acids, fibrates, high doses of niacin and if needed, high doses of statins.




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