What is a "triglyceride level" and why is it important if I have diabetes?

What is a "triglyceride level" and why is it important if I have diabetes?

Anne Peters, MD, FACP, CDE (Professor and Director of Clinical Diabetes Programs, USC Keck School of Medicine) gives expert video advice on: Does taking additional insulin correct a high blood sugar level?; Why is my blood pressure important if I have diabetes?; What are the most common causes of death for people with diabetes? and more...

A triglyceride level is a marker for abnormal cholesterol particles. If your triglyceride level is high, it means that the pathway through which you metabolise your bad cholesterol levels is not normal, so it means your bad cholesterol is stickier than in someone without diabetes. So, a triglyceride level that's elevated is a marker for an increased risk for heart disease and building up plaque in the arteries, but in itself isn't going to hurt you; it's what it means in terms of the entire set of features for heart disease risk in diabetes.