Cholesterol and Heart Health Glossary
Click on the first letter of the word you are looking for:
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
A
Angina — chest pain or discomfort that occurs
when your heart muscle does not get enough oxygen-enriched
blood. It may feel like pressure or squeezing in your chest, or
like indigestion. The pain may also occur in your shoulders,
arms, neck, jaw, or back
Aorta disease — disorders associated with the
aorta—the largest artery in your body
Arteries — blood vessels that carry
oxygen-enriched blood from the heart to the body
Atherosclerosis — the buildup of cholesterol
and other fat deposits, known as plaque, in the inner layer of
an artery wall
B
Bile acid sequestrant — a type of
cholesterol-lowering medication that binds with bile acids in
the intestines and removes them in bowel movements
Blood pressure — the pressure exerted by the
blood against the walls of the arteries
Blood vessel — a flexible tube in your body
that carries blood throughout the body
C
Calories — units that measure the amount of
energy the body is able to get from food; calories come from
protein, carbohydrates, and fats
Cardiovascular disease — a disease of the
heart or blood vessels
Cholesterol — a waxy, fat-like substance
present in every cell in the body and in many foods
Coronary artery disease — a disease that
occurs when the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle
become hardened and narrowed, often due to buildup of a
material called plaque on their inner walls
D
Diabetes — a disease in which the body does
not make or properly use insulin
E
Enzyme — a type of protein made by your body
that acts as a catalyst
F
Fat — a type of nutrient found in foods that
provides a source of energy
Fibric acid — a non-statin type of
cholesterol-lowering drug
G
Genetic — of or relating to genetics or genes
H
Heart attack — a sudden loss of blood supply
and oxygen to an area of heart muscle, usually due to a
blockage in a coronary artery
Heart disease — an abnormal condition of the
heart
Heart valve disease — a condition that occurs
when one or more valves in the heart are not working properly
and blood does not flow through the heart as it should
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol —
known as the "good cholesterol," HDL carries other cholesterol
to the liver for removal from the body
I
Immunosuppressives — drugs that suppress the
immune system
Insulin — a hormone that is needed to convert
sugar, starches, and other food into energy
Irregular heart beats — any change from the
normal sequence of electrical impulses in the heart
L
Lipoprotein — a part of the blood that serves
to carry cholesterol throughout the body. It is made of a fat
molecule attached to a protein molecule. It appears in various
forms, such as HDL ("good" cholesterol) and LDL ("bad"
cholesterol)
Lipoprotein profile — a test that uses blood
to measure your total cholesterol, HDL ("good" cholesterol),
LDL ("bad" cholesterol), and triglyceride levels
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol —
known as the "bad cholesterol," LDL in high levels can deposit
on the walls of the blood vessels and cause formation of
plaques
M
Menopause — a time marked by the end of
menstruation in women, usually between the ages of 45 and 55
N
Nausea — a feeling of sickness in the stomach
causing an urge to vomit
NCEP — National Cholesterol Education
Program, a service of the US National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health (NIH) — one of
the world's foremost medical research centers, founded by the
US government
Nicotinic acid — a non-statin
cholesterol-lowering medicine (the same substance as niacin or
vitamin B1) that reduces total cholesterol, LDL ("bad"
cholesterol) and triglyceride levels, and also raises HDL
("good" cholesterol) levels
O
Obesity — a state of being well over one's
ideal body weight
P
Palpitations — irregular, usually rapid
beating of the heart
Pericardial disease — an inflammation of the
pericardium, a thin sac that surrounds the heart, which
squeezes the heart and restricts its action
Peripheral vascular disease — a condition
that occurs when a fatty material called plaque builds up on
the inside walls of arteries, blood vessels that carry
oxygen-enriched blood from the heart to the head, internal
organs, and limbs
Plaque — a buildup of excess cholesterol on
artery walls
R
Risk factor — a condition such as diabetes
that can lead to a greater chance of developing a disease
S
Saturated fat — a type of fat found in animal
products such as whole milk, eggs, and meats
Side effect — an unintended symptom or event
that may occur as a result of taking medication
Starch — a naturally abundant nutrient
commonly found in such foods as corn, wheat, and rice
Statin — a class or type of
cholesterol-lowering medication that lowers LDL ("bad"
cholesterol) levels and triglyceride levels and raises HDL
("good" cholesterol) by limiting the amount of cholesterol the
body can make
Stroke — an acute neurologic injury where the
blood supply to a part of the brain is interrupted
T
Total cholesterol — the total amount carried
in the blood, whether by HDL ("good" cholesterol), LDL ("bad"
cholesterol), or another carrier
Triglyceride — a type of fat in the blood
that increases after you eat food; high triglycerides can
increase your risk of heart disease
U
Unsaturated fat — a type of fat that is
usually liquid at refrigerator temperature; includes fats from
nuts, seeds, fish, and vegetable oils
