The Study
Triglyceride to High-Density Lipoprotein Ratio and the Risk of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in a Non-Diabetic General Population.
This study watched a lot of people over time and noticed that those with a higher fat-to-good-cholesterol number tended to have more heart problems later. But it didn’t change anyone’s numbers — it just watched. So we know the two things are linked, but we don’t know if changing the number would stop the problems.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
This study looked at a number called the 'TG/HDL ratio'—a simple calculation from a routine blood test—to see if it can tell if someone is more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 567 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes—this means that even if someone doesn’t have diabetes, a high TG/HDL ratio is a strong warning sign for heart problems, similar to high blood pressure or cholesterol.
- 2People with a TG/HDL ratio above 1.32 had nearly twice the risk of heart attack and stroke compared to those with a ratio below 0.56.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Kardiologiia
Year
2025
Authors
Jianmei Wu, Qi Qi, Xinyu Wu, Quanle Han, Liyan Wang, Aili Zhang, Hongxia Cao, Liying Tian, Shouling Wu, Kangbo Li
Related Content
Claims (6)
People with a higher ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol have a greater likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.
In non-diabetic adults, a higher triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio above approximately 1.32 is linked to a faster increase in the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or other serious heart events.
Among adults without diabetes, a higher ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol is linked to a higher risk of heart attacks and strokes, with those in the top quarter of this ratio having a 17.5% greater risk than those in the bottom quarter.
Non-diabetic adults with a triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio above 1.32 have a 1.79 times higher rate of heart attack and stroke than those with a ratio below 0.56, after accounting for other cardiovascular risk factors.
Non-diabetic adults with a triglyceride-to-HDL cholesterol ratio above 1.32 have a 51% higher rate of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or cardiovascular death compared to those with lower ratios, after accounting for other health factors.
In adults without diabetes, a higher ratio of triglycerides to HDL cholesterol is linked to higher body weight, higher blood pressure, higher blood sugar, higher inflammation levels, and more frequent cases of high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.