[Triacylglycerol as a risk factor in early ischemic heart disease]

Triacyglycerol levels above 2.0 mmol/l are according to contemporary findings an independent risk factor for the development of ischaemic heart disease. The triacylglycerol concentration of plasma provides information on the amount of lipoproteins, which carry also a major amount of cholesterol and which can also accelerate the process of atherosclerosis. Hypertriglyceridaemia as an independent risk factor was confirmed in particular in large epidemiological studies--the Framingham and Münster study. An increased triacyglycerol concentration implies obviously a greater risk for women than for men. From published results of intervention studies ensues moreover that reduction of triacyglycerol levels during hypolipidaemic treatment may reduce the incidence of ischaemic heart disease, coronary attacks and lead to regression of coronary atherosclerosis. In patients with hyperlipoproteinaemia therapeutic efforts should therefore focus not only on reduction of LDL-cholesterol but also on correction of hypetriglyceridaemia.