High triglyceride levels are often linked to high blood cholesterol levels. These two substances are fatty in nature and are needed for the normal functioning of the body in small amounts. Lipid disorder is the medical term used to describe a combination of high cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These two substances can lead to problems of heart disease and stroke. Cholesterol has the ability to clog the arteries and reduce blood supply to various parts of the body such as the heart and brain, in addition to the fact that triglycerides can effect the pancreas.
Coronary Heart Disease
Coronary heart disease is a condition where the small blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to your heart become narrowed. Coronary artery disease is another name for coronary heart disease. When the heart is deprived of adequate amounts of oxygen and other nutrients transported by the blood, the result may be chest pain or discomfort known as angina, shortness of breath, and heart attack. High blood cholesterol levels can lead to a narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart.
Atherosclerosis
The blood vessels are normally elastic and flexible under normal conditions. When cholesterol is deposited on your blood vessels, the deposited cholesterol combines with other substances to form plaque, a hard substance that causes your blood vessels to become narrow, hard and less flexible. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis can reduce or cut off blood flow to the heart, resulting in coronary heart disease, angina or a heart attack.
Heart Attacks
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is cut off. High blood cholesterol levels can form plaque on your blood vessels. Plaque causes heart attacks by completely clogging your coronary arteries, or a piece of plaque lodges in and blocks a coronary artery.
Strokes
A stroke is one of the complications of high blood cholesterol levels. It affects the brain and occurs when an artery in the brain ruptures or when blood flow to a part of the brain is cut off. When a piece of plaque floats through your blood vessels, it can get lodged in one of the arteries that supply the brain with blood. This stops the flow of blood to the brain and causes a stroke.
Pancreatitis
According to the New York University Internal Medicine blog, high blood levels of triglycerides that exceed 1,000 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) can lead to pancreatitis, inflammation of the pancreas that causes symptoms of stomach pain and digestive problems. The blog also states that the exact mechanism through which this occurs is unclear. The pancreas, located behind the stomach, produces insulin and digestive enzymes.
References
- America Heart Association: What Are High Blood Cholesterol and Triglycerides?
- MedlinePlus: High blood cholesterol and triglycerides
- MayoClinic: Triglycerides: Why do they matter?
- MayoClinic: High blood cholesterol- Complications
- New York University Internal Medicine Blog: Why does Hypertriglyceridemia Lead To Pancreatitis
