Triglyceride and Cholesterol Profiler
Enter your results from your latest cholesterol test to better understand what the number means.
Triglyceride Number:
Trigs Fact or Fiction
People with high triglyceride levels also tend to have high bad cholesterol (LDL) and low good cholesterol (HDL).
About Triglycerides
Triglycerides: A “Bad Fat”
Triglycerides are a type of fat in the blood that’s produced in the liver and found in food. Your body needs some triglycerides to give you energy, but high amounts are not good for you.1 High levels of triglycerides combined with low HDL or high LDL are associated with the build-up of fat in the blood.
Some causes of high triglycerides include:2,3
- Diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Being overweight
- Lack of exercise
- Diet high in carbohydrates
- Smoking
- Excess alcohol intake
Lowering Triglyceride Levels
People who have a high triglyceride level also may have high bad cholesterol (LDL) and low good cholesterol (HDL).4 That’s why it’s important to work with your doctor to make sure you are managing your triglycerides along with your cholesterol levels. Your doctor may recommend a cholesterol management plan that includes medication to help you:
- Lower triglyceride levels
- Increase good cholesterol (HDL)
- Lower bad cholesterol (LDL)
If your cholesterol and triglyceride levels aren’t where they need to be, ask your doctor about cholesterol management options for you. Use the valuable Doctor Discussion Guide to help you start the conversation.
TriCor Uses
TriCor should only be used when other measures, such as diet and exercise, have not been enough. TriCor is a prescription medicine used along with diet in adults to lower triglycerides, total cholesterol, and bad cholesterol (LDL), and increase good cholesterol (HDL). TriCor is also used along with diet in adults to lower severely high triglycerides. Improving blood sugar control in certain people with diabetes may prevent the need for cholesterol drug therapy. TriCor was not shown to reduce the risk of having heart problems in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Safety Information
- TriCor should not be taken by people with liver, gallbladder, severe kidney disease, or by nursing mothers.
- TriCor may cause serious muscle problems with symptoms such as unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness.
- Blood tests are needed to check for liver problems and may be needed to check for kidney problems.
- Other serious side effects may include inflammation (swelling) of the gallbladder or pancreas (with symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting), allergic-type reactions, blood clots, or possible changes in some blood test values.
Uses and Important Safety Information You Should Know About TriCor®
Uses for TriCor® (fenofibrate) Tablets1
- TriCor should only be used when other measures, such as diet and exercise, have not been enough.
- TriCor is a prescription medicine used along with diet in adults to lower triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increase HDL (good) cholesterol.
- TriCor is also used along with diet in adults to lower severely high triglycerides. Improving blood sugar control in certain people with diabetes may prevent the need for cholesterol drug therapy.
- TriCor was not shown to reduce the risk of having heart problems in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Important Safety Information for TriCor
- TriCor should not be taken by people with liver, gallbladder, or severe kidney disease, nursing mothers, or those allergic to any product ingredient.
- TriCor has not been shown to reduce the risk of having heart problems.
- TriCor can cause muscle problems. Unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness may be a sign of a serious but rare muscle problem and should be reported to your healthcare provider right away.
- TriCor can cause liver problems. Blood tests are needed before and during treatment with TriCor to check for liver problems.
- Some people require blood tests to check for kidney problems while taking TriCor.
- TriCor may cause inflammation (swelling) of the gallbladder or pancreas. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting.
- Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including any other cholesterol medications, to determine if the combination of these medicines is right for you.
- TriCor may cause allergic-type reactions, blood clots, and possible changes in some blood test values.
- The most common side effects with TriCor include increases in liver or muscle enzymes measured by blood tests and congestion or allergy-like symptoms in the nose.
For more information, talk with your healthcare provider.
Please see the full Prescribing Information for TriCor.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
If you cannot afford your medication, contact: www.pparx.org or call the toll-free phone number 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669) for assistance.
References:
1. American Heart Association. Triglycerides. Available at: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Triglycerides_UCM_306029_Article.jsp. Last update May 20, 2010. Accessed August 19, 2011.
2. Medline Plus. U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. Triglycerides. Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/triglycerides.html. Last update July 12, 2011. Accessed August 19, 2011.
3. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Your Guide to Lowering Cholesterol with Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC). Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/chol/chol_tlc.pdf. Last update December 2005. Accessed August 19, 2011.
4. American Heart Association. Good vs. Bad Cholesterol. Available at: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/Cholesterol/AboutCholesterol/Good-vs-Bad-Cholesterol_UCM_305561_Article.jsp. Last update June 13, 2011. Accessed August 19, 2011.