Managing sHTG

Managing sHTG is important to minimize the risk for serious health complications in your patients. Referring to expert consensus recommendations can help you better control your patients' triglyceride levels and improve outcomes.1-4

Expert consensus recommendations

Expert publications highlight the urgency in lowering triglyceride levels of 500 mg/dL and above1-4

Overview of expert publications

The American Heart Association
 has detailed in an advisory that the primary goal of therapy is to reduce triglycerides to <500 mg/dL2
2021 American College of Cardiology
Expert Consensus Report has stated that for patients with triglyceride levels ≥500 mg/dL, the priority is lowering triglycerides to reduce the risk of pancreatitis1
The Endocrine Society
 has recommended that adults with fasting triglycerides >500 mg/dL receive pharmacologic treatment as an adjunct to diet and exercise to prevent pancreatitis3
National Lipid Association
 has stated that the primary objective for treating patients with severe triglyceride elevation (≥500 mg/dL) is to prevent pancreatitis through nutrition and other lifestyle interventions, as well as pharmacotherapy when appropriate; atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk reduction follows in priority4
female doctor providing consultation to a female patient

Not an actual patient or healthcare professional. Actor portrayals.

Your patient's severe hypertriglyceridemia (sHTG) and other comorbidities are interconnected, increasing the risk of acute pancreatitis (AP) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD)1,4

Ensure that treatment is optimized for your patients with sHTG to help reduce their risk of complications to the greatest extent possible.1,4

Considerations for optimizing treatment for your patients

Lifestyle modifications and therapies

Diet, exercise, and current therapies do not adequately lower triglycerides and reduce AP and ASCVD risk in all patients5

Although statins are known to reduce triglyceride levels to some extent (~20% to 40%), they cannot prevent acute pancreatitis in the setting of secondary causes6,7

Comorbidities

Comorbidities such as diabetes/insulin resistance, obesity, and metabolic disorders contribute to increases in triglyceride levels1

red icon of persons
Your patient's sHTG may be impacted by other comorbidities and difficult to control, requiring vigilant management.1,4,5

References

  1. Virani SS, Morris PB, Agarwala A, et al. 2021 ACC expert consensus decision pathway on the management of ASCVD risk reduction in patients with persistent hypertriglyceridemia: a report of the American College of Cardiology solution set oversight committee. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2021;78(9):960-993.
  2. Skulas-Ray AC, Wilson PWF, Harris WS, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids for the management of hypertriglyceridemia: a science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2019;140(12):e673-e691.
  3. Newman CB, Blaha MJ, Boord JB, et al. Lipid management in patients with endocrine disorders: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2020;105(12):dgaa674.
  4. Kirkpatrick CF, Sikand G, Petersen KS, et al. Nutrition interventions for adults with dyslipidemia: a clinical perspective from the National Lipid Association. J Clin Lipidol. 2023;17(4):428-451.
  5. Santos-Baez LS, Ginsberg HN. Hypertriglyceridemia—causes, significance, and approaches to therapy. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2020;11:616.
  6. Jacobsen A, Savji N, Blumenthal RS, Martin SS. Hypertriglyceridemia management according to the 2018 AHA/ACC guideline. Expert analysis. American College of Cardiology. January 11, 2019. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2019/01/11/07/39/hypertriglyceridemia-management-according-to-the-2018-aha-acc-guideline
  7. Sandesara PB, Virani SS, Fazio S, Shapiro MD. The forgotten lipids: triglycerides, remnant cholesterol, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk. Endocr Rev. 2019;40(2):537-557.