Cholesterol and Heart Health Glossary

Click on the first letter of the word you are looking for:

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D
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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

Arteries — blood vessels that carry oxygen-enriched blood from the heart to the body

B

Blood pressure — the pressure exerted by the blood against the walls of the arteries

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

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

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

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol — known as the "good cholesterol," HDL carries other cholesterol to the liver for removal from the body

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)

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

O

Obesity — a state of being well over one's ideal body weight

P

Palpitations — irregular, usually rapid beating of the heart

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

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