A man with blo.od fat levels 80 times higher than normal: He drank something every day that many people love

Recently, a man was rushed to the emergency room with severe abdominal pain. Test results revealed that his blood fat index was dozens of times higher than normal.

Hospitalized with severe abdominal pain

On the morning of September 21, 2025, Mr. N.V.T (46 years old, residing in Van Ban commune, Phu Tho province) was admitted to Cam Khe Regional Medical Center with intense epigastric pain. He had a history of high triglycerides but did not take medication and maintained an unhealthy lifestyle, including drinking about 250 ml of alcohol daily and following a poor diet.

Blood tests at the hospital shocked the doctors: the patient’s triglyceride level reached 182.1 mmol/L—nearly 80 times higher than normal. A CT scan revealed that he had acute pancreatitis, classified as grade D according to the Balthazar scale, with a solitary fluid collection around the pancreas.

Mr. T’s condition was considered extremely severe, with a high risk of multiple organ failure and even death if not treated promptly.

Immediately after diagnosis, doctors performed emergency blood filtration—plasma exchange. Within just 2 hours, nearly 500 ml of milky-white plasma (containing extremely high levels of blood fat) was removed from his body. After the procedure, his abdominal pain improved significantly.

By the morning of September 22, the patient was alert, his abdomen was soft, and bloating had resolved. His triglyceride levels dropped to 18.36 mmol/L. He is currently continuing intensive monitoring and treatment in the Department of Emergency, Intensive Care, and Hemodialysis.

Dr. Nguyen Thanh Thuy, MSc, resident doctor and Deputy Head of the Department of Emergency, Intensive Care, and Hemodialysis at Cam Khe Regional Medical Center, stated:
“Acute pancreatitis caused by elevated triglycerides is one of the dangerous complications of lipid disorders. Patients may experience severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and even multi-organ failure. Without timely intervention, the mortality rate is very high.”

According to Dr. Thuy, people with high blood lipids must strictly follow prescribed medication and combine it with a healthy diet—reducing alcohol intake, limiting fatty foods, and maintaining regular health check-ups to monitor lipid levels and detect complications early.

Many people are still careless, thinking that high blood lipids only cause obesity or cardiovascular problems. In fact, hyperlipidemia can lead to life-threatening complications such as acute pancreatitis, heart attacks, and strokes.

Mr. T’s case once again highlights the dangers of neglecting high blood lipid levels. Because of his daily drinking habit and poor diet, he had to face acute pancreatitis—one of the most dangerous medical emergencies.