Question

Consider the following: 1. Alcohol excess 2. Hypothyroidism 3. Thiazide therapy 4. Chronic renal failure. Hypertriglyceridaemia may be a feature of

• A. 1, 2 and 3
• B. 2, 3 and 4
• C. 1, 3 and 4
• D. 1, 2 and 4

Hint:

Think about which of the four conditions mainly raises cholesterol rather than triglycerides.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question lists four conditions - alcohol excess, hypothyroidism, thiazide therapy, and chronic renal failure - and asks which combination is a genuine cause of hypertriglyceridaemia, a common secondary lipid disorder in clinical practice.

Step 2: Key Concept or Approach:
Secondary hypertriglyceridaemia has well-recognised causes: chronic alcohol intake increases hepatic VLDL synthesis, thiazide diuretics impair lipoprotein lipase activity and worsen insulin resistance, and chronic renal failure reduces lipoprotein lipase activity and alters lipid clearance. Hypothyroidism, by contrast, mainly raises LDL cholesterol through reduced LDL-receptor expression; triglyceride elevation is not one of its classic, consistent features.

Step 3: Working Through the Options:
"1, 2 and 3" and "2, 3 and 4" both include hypothyroidism, so both are wrong. "1, 2 and 4" keeps hypothyroidism while dropping thiazide therapy, which is also wrong since thiazides are a genuine cause. That leaves alcohol excess, thiazide therapy, and chronic renal failure as the three well-documented causes among the four listed.

Step 4: Conclusion:
The correct option is "1, 3 and 4" - alcohol excess, thiazide therapy, and chronic renal failure are recognised causes of hypertriglyceridaemia, while hypothyroidism is not.