A triglyceride test is a blood test that measures blood levels of triglycerides. Blood can be tested either in a fasting or non-fasting state. Because triglycerides are a type of fat or lipid, their levels are checked as part of a blood test called a lipid profile. Triglycerides in the blood increase after a meal, because they are being sent from the gut through the bloodstream to the adipose tissue for storage.
With a fasting triglyceride test, a person is asked to fast for between 9 and 12 hours before having blood taken and tested. Non-fasting tests do not require a person to fast beforehand. For the last few years, researchers have been looking at the benefits of non-fasting triglyceride tests.
The theory is that for most of the day, levels are what they would be after meals, so a sample taken without fasting could be as useful.
In Europe, the advice changed in , and it is no longer recommended to fast before routine testing. The American College of Cardiology ACC has divided their guidelines for when to use a fasting or a non-fasting test based on the individual. As of , their recommendations are as follows:. A non-fasting test can be more comfortable and convenient for the individual and may be safer for people with diabetes , who can experience hypoglycemia or low blood sugar when they have been fasting.
It is recommended that people whose triglyceride or TG levels are found to be abnormally high during a non-fasting test have a fasting test to confirm the result. The individual would usually then be asked to have a fasting triglyceride test for a follow-up.
The most common reason someone might be advised to have their triglyceride levels checked is to help assess their risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Healthy adults are recommended to have a lipid profile, which includes a triglycerides test, every 4 to 6 years, to evaluate the risk of heart disease. Triglyceride tests may also be ordered to monitor the success of lipid-lowering lifestyle changes, such as improving diet and increasing exercise, or for checking the effectiveness of drugs, such as fibrates, omega-3s, niacin, or statins.
The ACC and AHA recommend that adults treating high cholesterol and high triglycerides have a fasting lipid profile carried out 4 to 12 weeks after starting treatment. This profile should then be rechecked, as needed, to monitor the effect of lifestyle changes and medications. Experts stress that the goal in all triglyceride and cholesterol treatment is to lower the risk of heart disease. Regardless of medications, heart experts agree that healthful lifestyle choices are an essential part of reducing that risk.
Here are the current recommendations for healthful lifestyle choices to lower risk of heart disease and lower cholesterol and lower triglycerides:. The relationship between triglycerides and cardiovascular disease is not fully understood, but there is growing evidence that high levels of triglycerides in the blood increases the risk of heart problems. Triglycerides interact with the body in complex ways, and scientists continue to study these interactions.
Why are we so slow to adopt some evidence-based practices? Am Fam Physician. In Reply: Many thanks to Dr. Ehrlich for his thoughtful and referenced discussion regarding fasting vs. His arguments are acknowledged, and I agree that either fasting or nonfasting lipids are acceptable for this purpose.
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Hence it is better in fasting for lipids testing. Partha Sarathi. A nice, informative article. I am a diabetic, my problem being mainly fasting blood sugar being elevated upto even with medication tablets , whereas my post-prandial levels are either normal or just above the range the reading being around or lower. I disagree. Why not do the test correctly in the first place? Most doctors do not order the test this way. Good Article for faty people. Thanks for visiting.
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Maria Jasmine Freeman. The fasting is a positive health benefit, Why take it away?
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