What Causes High Triglycerides?

What Causes High Triglycerides?

Triglycerides are a type of fat some come from food and some are made from carbohydrates and other substances. Your body needs some Triglycerides, but high levels can be harmful to your heart.

High levels can be the result of:

• Being overweight
• Not enough exercise
• Drinking alcohol
• Smoking cigarettes
• Certain conditions like diabetes and kidney disease

Triglycerides are measured with a blood test:

• Normal: lower than 150 mg/dl
• Borderline-high: 150-to 199 mg/dl
• High: 200-to 499 mg/dl
• Very high: 500 mg/dl or higher

11 measures for older adults to lower heart risk

1. Daily aspirin (81 mg one baby aspirin) for women over 65 or men of any age.
2. Lower LDL to less than 160 mg/dl in low-risk individuals.
3. Lower LDL to less than 130 mg/dl in high risk individuals.
4. Lower LDL to less than 100 mg/dl in patients with coronary artery disease.
5. Lower LDL to less than 100 mg/dl in diabetic patients.
6. Lower blood pressure to below 140/90 mmhg in non diabetic individuals.
7. Lower blood pressure to 130/ 90 mmhg in diabetic patients.
8. Lower hemoglobin A1C to less than seven percent in diabetic patients.
9. Reduce fasting plasma glucose to less than 110 mg/dl in all older adults.
10. Quit smoking.
11. Reduce weight to a body mass index of less than 30. (Calculate your BMI by dividing your weight in pounds by your height in inches squared and multiplying the result by 703. A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight, a BMI of 30 or greater is considered obese.

Signs & symptoms of heart failure:

By themselves, according to the American heart association, the signs of heart failure may not be cause for alarm. But if you have more than one of these symptoms, report them to a healthcare professional and ask for an evaluation of your heart:

• Shortness of breath
• Persistent coughing or wheezing
• Buildup of excess fluid in the body tissues (edema)
• Tiredness, fatigue
• Lack of appetite, nausea
• Confusion, impaired thinking
• increased heart rate

The information in this article is not intended to be substitute for medical care or advice provided by a doctor. Always consult your physician for appropriate examinations treatment and care recommendation .if you have any questions about this information you should call your physician. Specific treatments and therapies may not be covered by your health plan. For questions about your benefits, please consult your health plan. Any references in this material to other  organizations or companies including their internet sites, is not an endorsement or warranty of the services, information or products provided by those organizations or companies  All models are used for illustrative purposes only.