• Patients who have very severe hypertriglyceridemia with pancreatitis should not be treated with heparin infusions or plasmapheresis. Treatment of hypertriglyceridemia in these patients should focus on treating the underlying cause, dietary fat restriction, and starting long-term fibrate therapy.
Reference
Berglund L. et al. Evaluation and treatment of hypertriglyceridemia: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. (J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 2012,97:2969-89).
Dr. Alexander is an assistant professor of internal medicine and pediatrics, and associate program director of the med-peds residency at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock. Dr. Golden is medical director of Arkansas Medicaid and professor of medicine and public health at the University of Arkansas. Dr. Hopkins is director of the division of general internal medicine at the University of Arkansas. E-mail them at imnews@elsevier.com. They reported having no relevant financial conflicts.