Acromegaly: a chronic disease, characterised by enlargement of the bones of the head, hands and feet and the swelling of soft tissue. This condition is caused by excessive secretion of growth hormone by the pituitary gland.
Adipose: of, relating to or containing fat.
Aneurysm: a sac formed by the extreme dilation of the wall of a blood vessel.
Angioplasty: a surgical technique for restoring normal blood flow through a blocked artery, either by inserting and inflating a balloon into the affected section or by using a laser beam.
Arrhythmia: any variation in the normal rhythm of the heartbeat.
Atheroma: a fatty deposit on or within the inner lining of an artery, which can often obstruct blood flow.
Atherosclerosis: a degenerative disease of the arteries, caused by build-up of fatty deposits on the inner lining of arterial walls.
CABG: coronary artery bypass graft.
Cerebral haemorrhage: a form of stroke caused by bleeding in the brain due to a burst artery.
CHD: coronary heart disease.
Chyle: a milky fluid consisting of lymph and emulsified fat globules. It is formed in the small intestine during digestion.
Chylomicron: a large lipoprotein that enables fatty substances to be transported in the blood and chyle.
Cis bond: part of a molecular structure featuring a double bond with hydrogen atoms on the same side.
Cohort: a group of people with a statistic in common.
Cyanosis: a bluish-purple discolouration of skin and mucous membranes, usually caused by a deficiency of oxygen in the blood.
Endocrine glands: glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream. These include the pituitary, adrenal, thyroid, testes and ovaries.
Endothelium: a tissue, comprising a single layer of cells, that lines the blood and lymph vessels, the heart and other cavities.
Epidemiology: the branch of medicine concerned with the study of epidemic diseases.
Ester: any one of a class of compounds produced by reaction between acids and alcohols, with the elimination of water.
Externa: connective tissue that surrounds a blood vessel and holds it together.
Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH): a hereditary condition of having high levels of cholesterol in the blood.
Glia: a delicate web of connective tissue surrounding and supporting nerve cells.
HDL: high density lipoprotein.
Heterozygous FH: a form of FH in which a person inherits the FH gene from one parent.
Homozygous FH: a form of FH in which a person inherits the FH gene from both parents.
HRT: hormone replacement therapy.
Hyperlipidaemia: raised cholesterol levels in the blood.
Hypertension: raised blood pressure levels
Hyponatremia: an abnormally low concentration of sodium in the blood.
Hypothalamus: a control centre at the base of the brain that is triggered by states such as hunger, thirst and fear.
IDL: intermediate density lipoprotein.
Infarction: the formation of an infarct (a localised area of dead tissue that is caused by restriction of blood flow to that area).
LCAT: lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase, an enzyme.
LDL: low density lipoprotein.
Lipid: any one of a large group of organic compounds that are esters of fatty acids.
Lipoprotein: a protein-based capsule that enables substances such as cholesterol and fats to travel within the body.
Macrophage: any large phagocytic cell in the blood, lymph and connective tissue of vertebrates.
Media: the middle layer of the wall of a blood or lymph vessel.
MI: Myocardial Infarction – a localised necrosis resulting from obstruction to the blood supply.
Necrosis: the death of body cells – usually in a localised area – often due to interruption of blood supply.
Ophthalmology: the branch of medicine relating to the eye and its diseases.
Phagocyte: an amoeboid cell or protozoan that engulfs particles such as food substances of invading microorganisms.
Phenotype: the physical constitution of an organism as determined by the interaction of its genetic constitution and the environment.
Pituitary gland: the major endocrine gland, attached to the base of the brain by a stalk. It comprises two lobes, which secrete hormones that affect development of the sex glands, skeletal growth and the functioning of the other endocrine glands.
Placebo: an inactive substance or form of therapy given to a patient, usually to compare its effects with those of a real treatment or drug.
Plaque: a thickened area in the artery walls, formed by the build-up of fatty substances.
Pleitropism: the condition of a gene of affecting more than one characteristic of the phenotype.
Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS): a medical condition characterised by extremely low cholesterol levels.
Synapse: the point at which a nerve impulse transfers from the terminal portion of an axon – a long extension of a nerve cell that conducts nerve impulses from the cell body – to an adjacent neuron.
Thrombosis: the formation of blood clots within a blood vessel or the heart, often resulting in restricted blood flow.
Trans bond: part of a molecular structure in which a hydrogen atom sits either side of a double carbon bond.