How is severe hypertriglyceridemia (sHTG) diagnosed?
Triglyceride levels are usually measured by a type of blood test known as a lipid panel. A lipid panel also measures low- and high-density lipoprotein (LDL and HDL) cholesterol levels, and sometimes other lipids.39
If a lipid panel shows you have sHTG, that does not tell you why your triglycerides are high.39 There are many causes of sHTG, and some can only be detected with more tests.1
You and your doctor should discuss whether you need more tests to find out why your triglyceride levels are high.
When to seek a more detailed diagnosis from a healthcare professional
A small number of people with sHTG will have familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS), a rare genetic type of sHTG.1
People with FCS typically have very high triglyceride levels, as well as very high risk for acute and recurrent pancreatitis and other symptoms. They require special treatment approaches to keep triglyceride levels low.8
Healthcare professionals may not know about FCS, leaving many people with it for years without a complete diagnosis or help managing it.8
If you have any of the following, consider talking to your doctor about getting a referral to a lipidologist.
- Triglyceride levels above 880 mg/dL (10 mmol/L) on two or more lipid panels
- Pancreatitis on more than one occasion or repeated episodes of unexplained, severe abdominal pain
If your doctor suspects that you have FCS, you may qualify for genetic testing. Talk to your doctor about whether you should get genetic testing.
