Hypertriglyceridemia: Pathophysiology, Role of Genetics, Consequences, and Treatment

Review
In: Endotext [Internet]. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc.; 2000.
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Excerpt

Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) can result from a variety of causes. Mild to moderate HTG tracks along with the metabolic syndrome, obesity and diabetes. HTG can be the result of multiple small gene variants or secondary to several diseases and drugs. Severe HTG with plasma triglyceride (TG) levels >1000-1500 mg/dL typically results from: (1) rare variants in the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) complex, where it is termed the familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS), and (2) the co-existence of genetic and secondary forms of HTG, termed the multifactorial chylomicronemia syndrome (MFCS), which is a much more common cause of severe HTG. Mild to moderate HTG is associated with an increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease (CVD), while severe HTG can lead to pancreatitis as well as an increased risk of premature CVD. Appropriate management of the patient with HTG requires knowledge of the likely cause of the HTG, to prevent its complications. For complete coverage of all related areas of Endocrinology, please visit our on-line FREE web-text, WWW.ENDOTEXT.ORG.

Publication types

  • Review