Blood fat type other than cholesterol linked to heart disease
Published: May 09, 2020
High levels of cholesterol have always been first to blame for heart disease, but new research suggests that there may be a plausiable link between another blood fat type and the condition.
Researchers at Cambridge University analysed 350,000 people from 101 studies and found that those who had increased levels of triglycerides in their blood were more likely to have heart disease.
But those working on the study, which was published in The Lancet journal, warned that more research was needed to confirm the results.
“Such trials should help establish whether lowering triglyceride levels can reduce the risk of heart disease,” said lead researcher Dr Nadeem Sarwar.
“We found that people with a genetically programmed tendency for higher triglyceride levels also had a greater risk of heart disease,” he added. “This suggests that triglyceride pathways may be involved in the development of heart disease.”
Triglycerides are a major source of human energy. They are produced by the liver or derived from foods, according to Yahoo News.
Speaking to the BBC about the results, Mike Knapton, of the British Heart Foundation, said: “It could yet prove to be an important step towards tackling cardiovascular disease but we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves.“
Images: Wikimedia Commons and SuperFantastic
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