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A number of studies have found a link between triglycerides and heart disease. These studies have found:
- High levels of triglycerides contribute to “stickiness” (viscosity) of red blood cells, which is a predictor of cardiovascular disease.
- The ratio between triglycerides and HDL (“good”) cholesterol may be a better predictor of heart attack than the ratio between good and bad LDL cholesterol.
- High triglyceride levels tend to be associated with angina – chest pain due to cardiac ischemia.
- High levels of triglycerides are associated with an increased death rate among patients with confirmed coronary artery disease. Likewise, the survival rate after coronary artery bypass graft surgery is worse among patients with elevated triglycerides.
- There is an increased risk of death from heart disease among families with elevated triglyceride levels as a result of either familial combined hyperlipidemia or familial hypertriglyceridemia, two common inherited blood lipid disorders.
Other studies have found a clear link between high triglyceride levels and risk factors for heart disease (e.g., low HDL cholesterol, obesity, abnormal glucose metabolism) but no direct link between triglyceride levels and heart disease. Additional research may clarify the role of triglycerides in cardiovascular disease. | 
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