Triglycerides
(TG)

Sample type:

Serum

Uses :-

1. To assess the patient risk of developing heart disease; to monitor effectiveness of lipid-lowering therapy.

2. It helps estimate the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood.

3. It can show if the patient have inflammation in the pancreas and if the patient at risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Precautions:-

• The patient may need to fast (not eat or drink) for 9 to 12 hours before sample collection.

• The patient should avoid alcohol for 24 hours before the test.

Interfering factors:-

1. Factors that increase triglyceride levels include food and alcohol intake.

2. Factors that decrease triglyceride levels include exercise and weight loss.

3. If you are diabetic and your blood sugar (glucose) is out of control, triglycerides may be very high.

4. Certain drugs such as corticosteroids, protease inhibitors for HIV, beta blockers, and estrogens can increase blood triglyceride levels.

Pre analytical errors:-

1. The patient has consumed alcohol and come to laboratory to doing the test .

2. The patient forgot to fast .

The Corrective action:

1. Tell the patient that he should avoid alcohol for 24 hours

2. Tell the patient that he should fast for 9 to 12 hours.

Post analytical errors:-

1. Write wrong name on the report.

2. Send wrong results to the patient.

The Corrective action:-

1. make sure that the name and all data are right

2. Communicate to the patient and apologize for this mistake and sent the right report to him.

Reference range :-

Normal/desirable triglyceride range: less than 150mg/dL

Borderline high triglyceride range: 150 to 199 mg/dL

High triglyceride range: 200 to 499 mg/dL

Very high triglyceride range: 500 mg/dL and above