Hypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor for acute coronary syndrome, as elevated low - density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C]: a comparative coronary angiographic study

ABSTRACT

The intricate association between hypertriglyceridemia and coronary artery disease has been difficult to unravel. In patients with acute coronary syndrome; a comparative coronary angiographic study was made between patients with hypertriglyceridemia and patients with elevated LDL-C, in the absence of other cardiovascular risk factors, aiming to focus an attention on hypertriglyceridemia as an independent risk factor as high LDL- C that could strongly impact the development of coronary artery disease. Twenty patients with hypertriglyceridemia were selected and matched against twenty patients with high LDL-C for severity, extent and number of coronary angiographic lesions. It was found that the rate of occurrence of severely stenotic or extended or multiple coronary lesions in patients with hypertriglyceridemia did not differ significantly from their occurrence in patients with high LDL-C. It was concluded that in patients below sixty years and even in the absence of other risk factors, hypertriglyceridemia perse could be an independent risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease