[Hypertriglyceridaemia following oestrogen use]

Three women, aged 52, 54 and 30 years, presented with severe hypertriglyceridaemia. One had suffered pancreatitis. All three used oral oestrogens as replacement therapy or as anticonceptive agent. After cessation of the oral oestrogen mild hypertriglyceridaemia persisted, indicating a pre-existent abnormality in their triglyceride metabolism, in these cases non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, familial combined hyperlipidaemia and familial hypertriglyceridaemia, respectively.