Cholesterol Readings

What Do Triglyceride Levels Have to Do With Cholesterol Readings?

Triglycerides are not actually cholesterol. They are a form of fat carried through the bloodstream. Most of your body's fat is in the form of triglycerides stored in fat tissue. Only a small portion of your triglycerides is found in the bloodstream.

 

High blood triglyceride levels alone do not necessarily cause atherosclerosis. But some lipoproteins that are rich in triglycerides also contain cholesterol, which causes atherosclerosis in some people with high triglycerides. Also, high triglycerides are often accompanied by other factors (such as low HDL or diabetes) that raise heart disease risk. Therefore, high triglyceride readings may be a sign of a lipoprotein problem that contributes to heart disease.

 

Triglyceride Levels	Triglyceride Category
Less than 150 mg/dL	Normal
150-199 mg/dL	Borderline-high
200-499 mg/dL	High
500 mg/dL or above	Very high

 

Triglyceride readings that are borderline high (150 to 199 mg/dL) or high (200 mg/dL or more) may require treatment.