Learn About Familial Hypertriglyceridemia
Familial hypertriglyceridemia is a common disorder passed down through families. It causes a higher-than-normal level of triglycerides (a type of fat) in a person's blood.
Type IV hyperlipoproteinemia
Familial hypertriglyceridemia is most likely caused by genetic variants combined with environmental factors. As a result, the condition clusters in families. How severe the disorder is can vary based on sex, age, hormone use, and dietary factors.
People with this condition also have high levels of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol are often low.
In most cases, familial hypertriglyceridemia is not noticeable until puberty or early adulthood. Obesity, hyperglycemia (high blood glucose levels), and high levels of insulin are often present as well. These factors may cause even higher triglyceride levels. Alcohol, a diet high in carbohydrates, and estrogen use can make the condition worse.
You are more likely to have this condition if you have a family history of hypertriglyceridemia or heart disease before age 50.
You may not notice any symptoms. Some people with the condition may have coronary artery disease at an early age.
The goal of treatment is to control conditions that can raise triglyceride levels. These include obesity, hypothyroidism, and diabetes.
Your provider may tell you not to drink alcohol. Certain birth control pills can raise triglyceride levels. Talk to your provider about your risk when deciding whether to take these medicines.
Treatment also involves avoiding excess calories and foods high in saturated fats and carbohydrates.
You may need to take medicine if your triglyceride levels stay high, even after making diet changes. Nicotinic acid, gemfibrozil, and fenofibrate will lower triglyceride levels in people with this condition.
Mount Sinai
Deepak Bhatt is a Cardiologist in New York, New York. Dr. Bhatt is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Familial Hypertriglyceridemia. His top areas of expertise are Heart Attack, Acute Coronary Syndrome, Coronary Heart Disease, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), and Heart Bypass Surgery.
Baylor Medicine Atherosclerosis
Christie Ballantyne is a Cardiologist in Houston, Texas. Dr. Ballantyne is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Familial Hypertriglyceridemia. His top areas of expertise are Familial Hypertriglyceridemia, High Cholesterol, Atherosclerosis, Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG), and Heart Bypass Surgery.
Office
Sotirios Tsimikas is a Cardiologist in La Jolla,, California. Dr. Tsimikas is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Familial Hypertriglyceridemia. His top areas of expertise are High Cholesterol, Apolipoprotein C2 Deficiency, Familial Lipoprotein Lipase Deficiency, Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), and Stent Placement.
Losing weight and keeping diabetes under control helps improve the outcome.
Complications may include:
- Pancreatitis
- Coronary artery disease
Screening family members for high triglycerides may detect the disease early.
Summary: This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of plozasiran in approximately 288 adult participants with severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG) and history of at least two prior acute pancreatitis (AP) events not attributed to other etiologies, with at least one occurring within the last 12 months prior to screening. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to either...
Summary: This is an open-label study to be conducted in adults with hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) and severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG). Each participant must have completed all required visits per protocol in the parent study AROAPOC3-2003 (USA and Canada participants only; NCT# 05413135), AROAPOC3-3001(Canada and Japan participants only; NCT05089084), AROAPOC3-3003 (NCT06347003), AROAPOC3-3004 (NCT06347016...
Published Date: May 08, 2024
Published By: Thomas S. Metkus, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Genest J, Mora S, Libby P. Lipoprotein disorders and cardiovascular disease. In: Libby P, Bonow RO, Mann DL, Tomaselli GF, Bhatt DL, Solomon SD, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 12th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 27.
Robinson JG. Disorders of lipid metabolism. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 190.