Dorothy FarrarHypertriglyceridämie
Hypertriglyceridemia is the medical term for high blood fat levels. Just like high cholesterol, these are a significant risk factor for arteriosclerosis and thus for secondary diseases such as heart attack, stroke and peripheral arterial occlusive disease.
What is hypertriglyceridemia?
Hypertriglyceridemia is a lipid metabolism disorder with elevated blood lipid levels. It is defined as an increase in the concentration of triglycerides (i.e. simple fats) in the blood to over 200 mg/dl or over 2.3 mmol/l. Hypertriglyceridemia itself does not cause any symptoms for a long time – this is what makes it so dangerous.
Hypertriglyceridemia is more of a symptom than a diagnosis: it is one of the major risk factors for arteriosclerosis in the blood vessels and promotes serious diseases such as heart attacks , peripheral arterial disease (PAD), pancreatitis ( pancreatitis ) and fatty liver .
causes
The causes of hypertriglyceridemia are varied, but can be roughly divided into two groups: Most people have elevated blood lipid levels because they eat poorly and exercise too little.In combination with diabetes , high blood pressure and obesity , medicine also speaks of the ” metabolic syndrome “, the “deadly quartet” of metabolic diseases that very often occur together and are mutually dependent. Hypertriglyceridemia can also have a genetic cause or as a result of other diseases such as alcohol consumption, pregnancy, kidney dysfunction or medication.
The word “triglyceride” requires a brief explanation: It is the “typical standard fat” (also “neutral fat” outdated) and is a term from biochemistry: three (“tri”) fatty acids are bound to the alcohol glycerol – the triglyceride is ready.
The various lipid metabolism disorders are also called “hyperlipoproteinemias” because the fats in the blood do not swim around freely, but are bound to proteins. Hypertriglyceridemia is sometimes thrown together with hypercholesterolemia and is then called ” hyperlipidemia ” – which in turn means nothing more than “elevated blood lipid levels”.
When to the doctor?
Hypertriglyceridemia must always be examined by a doctor. This condition can be related to many different diseases, so early diagnosis and treatment of hypertriglyceridemia greatly increases the chances of a cure. People should see a doctor if they are obese.
Diabetes or gout can also occur as a result of the disease and should therefore be examined by a doctor. However, since the diagnosis of this disease can only be carried out by a blood count, there are no special and characteristic signs or symptoms that point to this disease.
A medical examination should be carried out, especially if there are problems with the kidneys or liver. Hypertriglyceridemia can usually be diagnosed and treated by a general practitioner. In some cases, hypertriglyceridemia also causes muscle wasting or pain in the muscles. It is also advisable to see a doctor if you have these symptoms. However, hypertriglyceridemia can be prevented and treated with a healthy diet.
symptoms and course
Diet and lifestyle-related increases in blood lipid levels are extremely common in western industrialized countries – it is estimated that every second person over 40 has high cholesterol levels .
However, such an increase in blood lipids does not initially cause any noticeable symptoms – only when a heart attack, stroke or fatty liver become symptoms or is investigated as part of a newly discovered diabetes or high blood pressure are the underlying metabolic derailments discovered.
Rare direct symptoms are xanthomas and xanthelasmas , fatty deposits in the skin and tendons. The xanthomas appear as palpable thickenings, especially on the extensor sides of large joints such as knees or elbows or in the Achilles tendon and finger extensor tendons. Xanthelasmas are usually bilateral yellowish deposits on the upper eyelids.
A white crescent-like ring in the cornea of the eye, the so-called arcus corneau, can also be a sign of greatly increased lipid levels.
Diagnose
The diagnosis is made by measuring blood lipid levels. Not only the triglycerides are determined, but also the total cholesterol, the (“bad”) LDL and (“good”) HDL cholesterol , the lipoprotein(a) and several different quotients that are calculated from these measured values. It is important that for an exact determination of triglycerides, the blood must be taken after twelve hours of sobriety – otherwise the values are falsified by the food transport that is still taking place. Blood samples are therefore often taken in the morning hours .
In order to find the cause of hypertriglyceridemia detected in this way, further investigations must be carried out for diabetes mellitus, liver and biliary tract diseases, pancreatitis, thyroid diseases and renal dysfunction. In addition, the entire area of the metabolic syndrome should be covered and blood pressure should also be measured once. For cases of genetically determined metabolic disorders, there are genetic tests that can then possibly affect the entire direct family.
complications
In general, hypertriglyceridemia can lead to a number of different symptoms. Complications mainly occur if the disease is not treated. In the worst case, this can also lead to a heart attack, which can lead to paralysis or death of the person concerned. For this reason, hypertriglyceridemia must be treated in any case.
Furthermore, those affected often suffer from fatty liver and generally from being overweight. Being overweight can also lead to psychological problems or depression .
Children in particular suffer from bullying or teasing. The disease also leads to inflammation of the pancreas. The muscles of the affected person often hurt and muscle wasting occurs. Hypertriglyceridemia can usually be treated with medication. Complications do not arise. However, a healthy lifestyle also has a very positive effect on the disease and can limit the symptoms. Hypertriglyceridemia may also significantly reduce the life expectancy of those affected.
treatment and therapy
Good and effective drugs are available for the therapy of elevated blood fat levels – but they often conceal the problem rather than get to the root of it and really solve it. A change to a healthy lifestyle is therefore always part of the treatment and must be valued higher than any medication.
Improving eating habits and lifestyle are the most important therapeutic measures that everyone affected must carry out themselves (see Prevention). There are special nutrition therapy schemes, which you can usually try out for four to eight weeks, with subsequent control of the blood values. Alcohol abstinence plays just as much a role as regular exercise or physical activity in order to use up the fats better.
If none of that helps, medication comes into play. Since there are usually combined increases in blood lipids, therapy for hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia are intertwined here again. The most commonly prescribed drugs are statins: They inhibit a cholesterol-forming enzyme in the liver and, according to studies, are the most effective means of combating hypercholesterolemia , but they also help with some forms of pure hypertriglyceridemia and protect against arteriosclerosis overall.
Fibrates are an alternative, but can cause myopathies with muscle pain and destruction as a side effect, just like the statins . Bile acid binders (e.g. cholestyramine) inhibit the reabsorption of cholesterol and other fats in the intestine and thus have a favorable side effect profile in that they are not even absorbed into the blood.
Cholesterol absorption inhibitors such as ezetimibe are currently only used in combination with statins, as there are still no clear study data for their use alone. In the case of secondary forms of hypertriglyceridemia, the underlying diseases, such as diabetes mellitus, must be treated as a priority.
prevention
With all treatment options of the modern pharmaceutical industry, the success of the therapy stands and falls with the personal lifestyle. This is the only way to prevent secondary diseases of arteriosclerosis.
Since many hypertriglyceridemias are caused by overeating, malnutrition and lack of exercise, it is essential to start here first. The selection of the meals plays a central role here; Mediterranean food is the magic word for many doctors when it comes to healthy nutrition.
Most industrially manufactured foods are now labeled with regard to ingredients, so that you can also look out for a reduced cholesterol content in margarine, for example. These low-fat products are now being advertised aggressively and, in principle, are not wrong; however, they alone do not account for the healthy effect. Rather, it is important to pay attention to a permanently balanced and healthy diet. And on the other hand, physical exercise helps the organism to use the nutrients sensibly and to maintain the innate regulatory processes of the metabolism.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.