Glossary

angina (angina pectoris): Pain or pressure in the chest caused by too little blood flow to the heart muscle.

angioplasty: A procedure to re-open narrowed blood vessels.

aortic aneurysm (abdominal aortic aneurysm): A progressive weakening of the aortic wall that may rupture if not treated.

blood pressure: The pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries.

cardiac event: A group of heart conditions made up of angina, heart attack, and death from a heart attack.

cardiovascular death: Death resulting from a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure

cholesterol: A type of fat, needed for a variety of functions, that is found in all cells of the body as well as in the blood stream.

death from any cause: Sometimes called all cause mortality, the risk of death from any cause includes deaths from heart disease as well as anything else.

diastolic blood pressure: The pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries when the heart relaxes between beats. This is the bottom number of a blood pressure reading.

HDL: Also known as high density lipoprotein or "good cholesterol", it is the type of lipoprotein that removes cholesterol from the blood stream; high levels are associated with decreased risk of heart disease. An HDL of 45 mg/dL or more is considered good.

heart attack (myocardial infarct): Loss of living heart muscle occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is cut off.

heart failure: A condition where the heart cannot pump blood as well as it should.

hemoglobin A1C: A measure of the average amount of glucose in the blood in the past 3 months.

LDL: Also known as low density lipoprotein or "bad cholesterol". This type of lipoprotein delivers cholesterol to the body; high levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease.

saturated fats: Fats found in meats, dairy products, and so-called tropical oils which your body uses to make cholesterol.

stent: A small, mesh-like device, most often made of metal used to widen blood vessel and improve blood flow.

stroke (ischemic stroke): Blockage of a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain.

systolic blood pressure: The pressure of the blood against the walls of the arteries while the heart contracts to pump blood to the body. This is the top number of a blood pressure reading. A systolic pressure of 120 or less is considered good.

total cholesterol: The sum of all the cholesterol in your blood steam; high levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease. A total cholesterol of 180 mg/dL or less is considered good.

trans fats: A type of dietary fat that increases LDL ("bad cholesterol") levels and lowers HDL ("good cholesterol") levels.

triglycerides: A form of fat stored in the body tissue and carried through the blood stream.