TG in the blood test is one of the important indicators related to blood fat, which examines the level of triglycerides in the blood to evaluate the metabolic status and health of the heart.. Triglyceride is a type of fat or lipid that exists in the blood, and if its level exceeds the normal value, the person's health is in danger. is at high risk of heart disease, the doctor considers this test as part of regular check-ups and 6-month check-ups..

If you are at risk for heart disease and have recently had a triglyceride test, join us in this article from GCORP LLC Health Magazine to learn what TG is and how it is interpreted in a blood test.

What is TG in a blood test?

Triglyceride index in the blood test refers to triglyceride, which is a type of fat in the blood... Actually, the triglyceride in the test sheet, which is also known as the triglyceride test, is the level of one of several types of fat in your blood, which should not be higher than the normal level.

If you are curious to know what triglycerides are, we should say that triglycerides are a type of lipid or fat. The body stores unused calories in the form of triglycerides... Triglycerides can provide the energy needed for muscle function, but excess triglycerides enter the blood after eating.. Triglyceride is not stored in the body, fat...

High triglycerides increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. A TG test will help you decide if you need to take action to reduce your risk.

Why should we test triglycerides?

If you are being treated for high triglyceride levels, your doctor will order regular TG testing to monitor the effectiveness of your treatment. This test is also done regularly when you have pre-diabetes or diabetes.. because uncontrolled blood sugar levels can raise triglyceride levels..

Based on your age, gender, and heart disease risk, your doctor will determine whether you should periodically evaluate TG in a blood test... In general, important recommendations for this test include the following:

• The best age to start triglyceride testing is 9 to 11 years old.
• The test must be repeated every five years.
• If there is a history of heart disease or stroke in the first degree family, this test is done for the child at the age of 2.
• This test is not suitable for children under 2 years old.

The appropriate time to repeat the triglyceride test is as follows:

• Men aged 20 to 45 every five years
• Women 20 to 55 years old every five years
• Men 45 years old and women 55 years and older each up to 2 years
• Men and women 65 years and older every year

What is the use of triglyceride test?

This test is used to understand your risk of heart attack or stroke and other conditions that can involve the blood vessels....It also tells if you have pancreatitis or are at risk for atherosclerosis....TG is known in blood tests as a lipid profile....Lipid means fat....A lipid profile determines the following:

• LDL
• HDL
Cholesterol Triglycerides

Learn more: Cholesterol in blood test

Conditions for performing TG or triglyceride test

To perform this test, you must fast for 9 to 14 hours before taking blood... (That is, don't eat or drink anything except water.) You should also refrain from consuming alcohol 24 hours before the triglyceride test.... Your doctor may ask you to stop taking some medications before the triglyceride test.... because some medications affect the TG result in the blood test... including:

• Retinoid
• Estrogen
• Clofibrite
• Asparaginase
• nicotinic acid
• ascorbic acid
• Clostipol
• Fibrozil jam
• protease inhibitor
• Contraceptive pills
Cholestyramine
• fenofibrate
• Some antipsychotic drugs

How to perform TG test

This test is a type of blood test and is done by taking a blood sample.... The steps of blood sampling include the following:

• First, the health care provider places a tourniquet over the inflamed vein around the arm.
• To take the required blood sample, the needle is inserted into the vein.
• After the laboratory tube is filled, the needle is removed and the tourniquet is opened.
• Then they press the wound with cotton to stop the bleeding.
• At the end, the blood sample is sent to the laboratory for examination and evaluation.

Interpretation of TG test

This test is measured in milligrams of triglyceride per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). The normal value of the triglyceride test and its abnormal level are shown in the table below:

What does a high level of TG mean in a blood test?

In this case, you are at risk of heart disease, stroke and other conditions that affect the blood vessels... In medical terms, an increase in triglycerides in the blood is called hypertriglyceridemia... Usually, the level of triglycerides in the fasting state varies from day to day.. After consuming a meal, the amount of triglycerides increases sharply and may be 5 to 10 times higher than the fasting state.

If the fasting triglyceride level is more than 1000 (mg/dL), the risk of pancreatitis increases and you should get treatment immediately.

Which conditions and diseases cause an increase in TG in the blood test?

High levels of triglycerides in the blood test may occur due to the following conditions and diseases:

• Uncontrolled diabetes
• Cirrhosis or liver damage
• thyroid gland failure
• Nephrotic syndrome (kidney disorder)
• female hormone regulating drugs
• Low protein and high carbohydrate diet
• Cholesterol or triglyceride disease history in the family

What is the sign of low triglycerides in the blood test?

Low TG levels in blood tests are rare, but if they do occur, they can be caused by:

• Malnutrition
• mal absorption syndrome
• Low fat diet
hyperthyroidism

General practitioner or endocrinologist in case of low triglyceride levels; First, he performs thyroid tests to check the condition of the thyroid gland.... Also, pregnancy can change the result of the triglyceride test.... Usually, the result of this test is different in children and needs to be repeated several times.

Learn more: RDW in blood test

How to reduce TG in blood test

In most cases, an increase in triglycerides leads to an increase in cholesterol.. In this case, both types of blood fat can be reduced with the help of medicine and lifestyle changes.

Lifestyle change

To change your lifestyle, you can observe the following points under the supervision of a nutritionist:

• Weight loss
• Quit smoking
• Enough sleep
• Stress Management
• Do regular physical activity
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Consumption of healthy foods and vegetable fats
• Avoid eating very sweet or processed foods

Drug therapy

Among the drugs or supplements that help control triglyceride levels, the following can be mentioned:

• Omega 3
• Niacin
• Fibrate
• Statins

It should be noted that useful drugs and supplements to reduce triglyceride levels should be taken under the supervision of a general practitioner or endocrinologist. In some cases, the TG level in the blood test is very high (above 500 mg/dL) and the person needs specialized medication.

Guide to see a doctor

A healthy level of blood fat helps maintain heart health and reduce the risk of a heart attack... By checking the TG level in a blood test, the doctor is informed about the level of blood fat and can obtain correct information about the appropriate treatment measures... Therefore, doctors recommend that the triglyceride test should be included in the annual checkup of people, especially women and men over 60 years old.

In this article from GCORP LLC magazine, we introduced you in detail to the concept of TG or triglyceride test. You can see a cardiologist online through the GCORP LLC site.. Also, GCORP LLC offers you the possibility to make an appointment with the specialist of your choice through the online appointment system to see a cardiologist in person.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources: medlineplus | mayoclinic