OBWOGO: THIS IS WHAT ELEVATED TRIGLYCERIDES (A TYPE OF FAT IN BLOOD) WILL DO TO YOUR HEART

If you've been keeping an eye on your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, there's something else you might need to monitor: your triglycerides. Having a high level of triglycerides in your blood can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke and death.

So, what are triglycerides and how are they different from cholesterol? Fats also known as lipids are of three types: a) Triglycerides: comprise 95% of fats; b) Phospholipids; c) Sterols—include cholesterol, Vitamin ?D, sex hormones, cortisol (stress hormones). Fats are the most energy dense of the macronutrients with 1g of fat generating 9 kcal of energy. Fats contribute to texture, taste, aroma, flavor and mouthfeel of foods. That nice smell from the chicken or KFC is because of fats.

TGs are a type of fat, found in your blood. When you eat, your body converts excess calories right away into TGs, which your body later stores in your fat cells. Between meals, hormones release TGs to provide you with energy. Regularly eating more calories than you cannot burn may lead to high triglyceride levels in your blood.

A triglyceride comprises three fatty acids (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) attached to glycerol. From these three types of fatty acids come the three types of triglycerides, or fats; saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated triglycerides.

Saturated fats are found in animal products such as meat, milk, chicken, cheese as well as cooking oils such as coconut, palm, palm kernel. Omega 3 (PUFA) are found in fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, trout, sardines) as well as in flax and nuts. Omega 6 (PUFA) are found in cooking oils (corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean), as well as in pumpkin and sunflower seeds and walnuts

Omega 9 (aka MUFA) are found in avocado and oils (avocado, canola, olive, peanut, sesame) and nuts (almonds, cashew nuts, macadamia, peanut and pistachios). Monounsaturated fats are the so-called heart-healthy fats and comprise the so-called Mediterranean diet

Another type of fat are the trans-fatty acids. Unlike other fats, trans-fats are artificial fats made by manufacturers when hydrogen gas reacts with oil—by a process called hydrogenation or hardening— thereby turning liquid oil such as corn, cottonseed or soybean into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine.

The risk factors for elevated triglycerides include a diet rich in refined carbohydrates and sugars, excessive alcohol intake, untreated diabetes, certain medical conditions (hypothyroidism, pregnancy, nephrotic syndrome, liver disease) and certain medications.

Elevated triglycerides can lead to lead to narrowing of arteries resulting in heart attacks, stroke, and death. Often elevated TG occurs alongside raised blood cholesterol

?TGs are measured after subjects have fasted overnight as part of the standard lipid profile test or Cholesterol test. A normal fasting level is under 150 mg/dL. Levels of 151-200 mg/dL are considered borderline high, while those above 200 mg/dL are linked to a higher risk for heart attack and stroke. Fasting TG levels over 500mg/dL increases the risk for a serious condition called pancreatitis.

?Elevated triglycerides can be managed effectively through dietary changes. Although triglycerides are a fat—they can be made from carbohydrates. Reducing refined carbs and sugars is one of the most important component of management. You need to get your carbs from whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables

A scientific statement from the American Heart Association identifies TG levels as an important biomarker of CVD risk, recommending that patients with fasting levels above 150 md/dL lose weight, improve their diet, and engage in aerobic exercise at least twice a week. Within six weeks even without medication, TG can be lowered significantly with the above six (6) measures. Drug therapy is advised for those with levels exceeding 500 mg/dL

Two studies published in Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) illustrated the importance of treating both elevated Cholesterol and TGs—Patients with ACS— sudden blockage of blood flow to the heart due to a heart attack, unstable angina, or other disorders— treated for Cholesterol and not TGs remain at high risk for recurrent events because TG contributes to this residual danger. In the study, patients with the highest levels of fasting TG who had survived previous heart attacks and other acute coronary events were up to 61 percent more likely to suffer repeat events if they had high fasting triglycerides.?

Dr Subiri Obwogo is a medical doctor, specialist in public health medicine and independent consultant in health policy and systems strengthening. He’s also the author of two books and several publications. He also runs a Vlog: "Happy Birthday Wellness Quiz". Subiri Obwogo, [email protected], +254-720 95 82 50