**4.2.2 Pharmacologic therapy**

Drug therapy should be instituted in all patients with TG levels greater than 500 mg/dL with the introduction of Gemfibrozil with starting dose of 600 mg half an hour before meals (lunch and dinner) or fibrates at a dose 54 to 160 mg/day (Dube et al., 2003). In a study carried out in patients with TG levels higher than 400 mg/dL using fibrate dose of 200 mg/day was observed 14% and 54% decrease of TC and TG levels, respectively (Palácios et al., 2002). Therefore, in another study, patients with TG levels higher than 266 mg/dL, using Gemfibrozil 600 mg/day associated with diet, evolved with a reduction of TG values in 18% (Miller et al., 2002).

The use of statins in general is not recommended for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia (TG> 500 mg / dL) alone, is recommended when triglyceride levels are between 200 to 500 mg/dL associated with increased total cholesterol (Dubé et al., 2003).
