High Cholesterol Glossary of Terms

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Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

Abdominal pain: Pain in the belly. Abdominal pain can be acute or chronic. It may reflect ...

Absorption: Uptake. For example, intestinal absorption is the uptake of food (or other sub...

Aerobic: Oxygen-requiring. Aerobic bacteria need oxygen to grow. Aerobic exercise requires...

Aerobic exercise: Brisk exercise that promotes the circulation of oxygen through the blood...

Analysis: In psychology, a term for conversation-based therapeutic processes used to gain ...

Angina: Chest pain due to an inadequate supply of oxygen to the heart muscle. The pain is ...

Angioedema: Like hives but affects deeper skin layer.

Artery: A vessel that carries blood high in oxygen content away from the heart to the far...

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Atherosclerosis: A process of progressive thickening and hardening of the walls of medium-...

Bile: Bile is a yellow-green fluid that is made by the liver, stored in the gallbladder a...

Bile acid: An acid made by the liver that works with bile to break down fats.

Blood clot: A mass of coagulated blood. A blood clot can block a major blood vessel, causi...

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is...

Blood sugar: Blood glucose. See also: High blood sugar; Low blood sugar.

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Carbohydrates: Mainly sugars and starches, together constituting one of the three principa...

Carotid: Pertaining to the carotid artery and the area near that key artery, which is loca...

Carotid artery: Either of the two key arteries located in the front of the neck, through w...

Cell: The basic structural and functional unit of any living thing. Each cell is a small c...

Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen. The chest contains t...

Chest pain: Pain in the chest that can be a result of many things, including angina, heart...

Cholesterol: The most common type of steroid in the body. Cholesterol has a reputation for...

Claudication: Limping. From the Latin claudicare, which means 'to limp.' The Roman emperor...

Constipation: Infrequent and frequently incomplete bowel movements. Constipation is the op...

Coronary arteries: The vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood rich in oxygen. The...

Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

Dilating: The widening and opening of an opening, such as the cervix or esophagus. For exa...

Familial: A condition that tends to occur more often in family members than is expected by...

Familial hypercholesterolemia: The most common inherited type of hyperlipidemia (high lipi...

Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including inform...

Fasting: : going without food or drink. Patients may be advised to fast for a certain peri...

Father: (1) The male parent. (2) One who originates. For example, "Wilhelm Roentgen is con...

Fiber: The parts of fruits and vegetables that cannot be digested. Fiber is of vital impor...

Gallstones: Stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones can be as smal...

Gastrointestinal: Adjective referring collectively to the stomach and small and large inte...

Gastrointestinal tract: The stomach and intestines. Abbreviated GI tract.

Genes: The basic biological units of heredity. Segments of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nee...

Gout: Condition characterized by abnormally elevated levels of uric acid in the blood, rec...

HDL: High density lipoprotein.

HDL cholesterol: High density lipoprotein cholesterol. Lipoproteins, which are combination...

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart attack: The death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. The loss of bloo...

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Heart muscle: A type of muscle with unique features only found in the heart. The heart mus...

Heredity: The genetic transmission of characteristics from parent to child.

High blood pressure: A repeatedly elevated blood pressure exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg. Chro...

High blood sugar: An elevated level of the sugar glucose in the blood. Also called hypergl...

Hot flashes: A sudden wave of mild or intense body heat caused by rushes of hormonal chang...

Hypercholesterolemia: High blood cholesterol. This can be sporadic (occurring with no fami...

Insulin: A natural hormone made by the pancreas that controls the level of the sugar gluco...

Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

LDL cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, commonly referred to as 'bad' choles...

Leg: In popular usage, the part of the body from the top of the thigh down to the foot, an...

Lipid: Another word for "fat." (Please see the various meanings of Fat.) A lipid is more f...

Lipid profile: A pattern of lipids in the blood. A lipid profile usually includes the leve...

Lipitor: See: Atorvastatin.

Lipoprotein: A molecule that is a combination of lipid and protein. Lipids do not travel i...

Lipoproteins: Complexes of lipid and protein, the way lipids travel in the blood.

Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

Menopause: The time in a woman's life when menstrual periods permanently stop; it is also...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

National Cholesterol Education Program: NCEP. A program designed to reduce illness and dea...

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

NCEP: The National Cholesterol Education Program. See: National Cholesterol Education Prog...

Niacin: Nicotinic acid, one of the B-complex B vitamins. Deficiency of niacin in the diet...

Nicotinic acid: Deficiency of nicotinic acid (also known as niacin), one of the B-complex ...

Nutrition: 1) The science or practice of taking in and utilizing foods. 2) A nourishing ...

Obesity: The state of being well above one's normal weight.

Overweight: The term "overweight" is used in two different ways. In one sense it is a way ...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Peripheral: Situated away from the center, as opposed to centrally located.

Peripheral artery disease: A form of peripheral vascular disease in which there is partial...

Polygenic: Pertaining to two or more genes. As opposed to monogenic.

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Prevalence: The proportion of individuals in a population having a disease or characterist...

Rhabdomyolysis: A condition in which skeletal muscle is broken down, releasing muscle enzy...

Risk factor: Something that increases a person's chances of developing a disease. For exam...

Rupture: A break or tear in any organ (such as the spleen) or soft tissue (such as the ach...

Saturated fat: A fat that contains only saturated fatty acids, is solid at room temperatur...

Sensitivity: 1. In psychology, the quality of being sensitive. As, for example, sen...

Serum: The clear liquid that can be separated from clotted blood. Serum differs from plas...

Statins: A class of drugs that lower cholesterol.

Stomach: The digestive organ that is located in the upper abdomen, under the ribs. The upp...

Stool: The solid matter that is discharged in a bowel movement.

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

Substance: 1. Material with particular features.
2. The material that...

Thyroid: 1. The thyroid gland. Also, pertaining to the thyroid gland. 2. A p...

Tongue: A strong muscle that is anchored to the floor of the mouth. The tongue is covered ...

Toxicity: The degree to which a substance (a toxin or poison) can harm humans or animals. ...

Triglycerides: The major form of fat stored by the body. A triglyceride consists of three ...

Unsaturated fat: A fat that is liquid at room temperature and comes from a plant, such as ...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Vitamin D: A steroid vitamin which promotes the intestinal absorption and metabolism of ca...