HIGH TRIGLYCERIDES PREDICT HEART ATTACKS

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Gabe Mirkin, M.D.

Having moderately elevated blood levels of triglycerides does not increase you risk for a heart attack unless you also have low blood levels of the good HDL cholesterol.

After you eat, blood sugar levels rise, which causes your pancreas to release insulin, which helps the liver convert sugar to triglycerides. If your blood sugar levels rise higher than normal, you produce large amounts of insulin which cause your liver to make even more triglycerides.

To keep blood triglyceride levels from rising too high, the good HDL cholesterol carries triglycerides back to the liver to remove them from the bloodstream. So blood levels of triglycerides do not increase your chances of developing a heart attack until you produce so much that they lower blood levels of the good HDL cholesterol and clog up your arteries. Treatment of high triglycerides is to reduce your intake of all refined carbohydrates, such as foods made with flour or added sugars.

American Journal of Cardiology 1994(Jan);73(1):29-32. A Menotti, M Scanga, G Morisi

Checked 9/3/05