Medical Health Encyclopedia

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that includes obesity (especially belly fat), low HDL (good) cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, and high blood sugar. Research suggests that metabolic syndrome is a risk factor for gallstones.

Low HDL Cholesterol and High Triglycerides and Their Treatment

Although gallstones are formed from supersaturation of cholesterol in the bile, high total cholesterol levels themselves are not necessarily associated with gallstones. Gallstone formation, however, is associated with low HDL cholesterol (the so-called good cholesterol) levels and high triglyceride levels. Some evidence suggests that high triglyceride levels may impair emptying actions of the gallbladder.

Unfortunately some fibrates, drugs used to correct these conditions, actually increase the risk for gallstones by increasing the amount of cholesterol secreted into the bile. They include gemfibrozil (Lopid), fenofibrate (Tricor), and bezafibrate (Bezalip). (Other cholesterol-lowering agents do not have this effect at all.) [See In-Depth Report #23: Cholesterol.]

Other Risk Factors

Text Continues Below

---

Prolonged Intravenous Feeding. Prolonged intravenous feeding reduces the flow of bile and increases the risk for gallstones.

Crohn's Disease. Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder, leads to poor reabsorption of bile salts from the digestive tract and substantially increases the risk of gallbladder disease. Patients over 60 and those who have had numerous bowel surgeries (particularly in the region where the small and large bowel meet) are at especially high risk.

Cirrhosis. Cirrhosis poses a major risk for gallstones, particularly pigment gallstones.

Organ Transplantation. Bone marrow or solid organ transplantation increases the risk.

Medications. Octreotide (Sandostatin) poses a risk for gallstones. In addition the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as fibrates and thiazide diuretics may slightly increase the risk for gallstones.

Blood Disorders. Chronic hemolytic anemia, including sickle cell anemia, increases the risk for pigment gallstones.