Table 2

Principal causes of secondary hypertriglyceridaemia

Lifestyle factorsPrincipal diseasesMedications
Pregnancy
(physiological in third trimester)
Diabetes (uncontrolled)Glucorticoids
Insulin resistance/obesityRetinoids
Alcohol excessChronic renal failureOncologics
(bexarotene; PD1 antagonists)
Carbohydrate excessCushing’s syndromeAnti-psychotics
Glucose-containing drinksGrowth hormone deficiencyHIV protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside analogues
Caffeine excessLipodystrophyCiclosporin
Adrenergic drugs of abuseMetabolic disease and mitochondrial myopathyTamoxifen
Glycogen storage diseaseHigh-dose beta-blockers
Bone marrow disease (paraproteinaemia)High dose thiazide diuretics
Infection/extreme inflammation for example, pancreatitisAmiodarone
Systemic lupus erythematosusInterferon
  • Many of these causes interact with polygenic risk factors for hypertriglyceridaemia in susceptible individuals.