RT Journal
A1 Ford ES, Li C, Zhao G, Pearson WS, Mokdad AH
T1 HYpertriglyceridemia and its pharmacologic treatment among us adults
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 2009
FD March 23
VO 169
IS 6
SP 572
OP 578
DO 10.1001/archinternmed.2008.599
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2008.599
AB Background 
    Increasing evidence supports triglyceride (TG) concentration as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia during a period of rising prevalence of obesity and its pharmacological treatment among US adults are poorly understood.Methods 
    We examined data for 5610 participants 20 years or older from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys from 1999 to 2004.Results 
    The unadjusted prevalence (percentage [SE]) of a TG concentration of 150 mg/dL or higher (to convert triglycerides to millimoles per liter, multiply by 0.0113) was 33.1% (0.8%); a TG concentration of 200 mg/dL or higher, 17.9% (0.7%), a TG concentration of 500 mg/dL or higher, 1.7% (0.2%), and a TG concentration of 1000 mg/dL or higher, 0.4% (0.1%). Overall, 1.3% (0.2%) of participants used 1 of 3 prescription medications indicated to treat hypertriglyceridemia (ie, fenofibrate, gemfibrozil, or niacin); this percentage was 2.6% (0.4%) among participants with a TG concentration of 150 mg/dL or higher and 3.6% (0.7%) among participants with a TG concentration of 200 mg/dL or higher.Conclusions 
    Among US adults, hypertriglyceridemia is common. Until the benefits of treating hypertriglyceridemia that is not characterized by extreme elevations of TG concentration with medications are incontrovertible, therapeutic lifestyle change remains the preferred treatment.