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21.6: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    90678
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    atherosclerosis
    formation of fatty material called plaques on inner arterial walls
    cholesterol
    major sterol in the body; important for the structure of cell membranes and the production of hormones, bile acids, and vitamin D
    chylomicrons
    lipoproteins produced by enterocytes in the gut; carry triglycerides to the tissues after dietary consumption
    dyslipidemia
    abnormal lipid levels or an imbalance of lipids in the blood
    familial hypercholesterolemia
    genetic disorder that manifests as very high cholesterol levels that can cause early cardiovascular disease
    high-density lipoproteins (HDL or HDL-cholesterol)
    cholesterol-rich lipoproteins made by the liver that function to remove cholesterol from the circulation; “good cholesterol”
    HMG CoA reductase
    enzyme involved in cholesterol biosynthesis
    hypercholesterolemia
    excessive blood levels of cholesterol
    hyperlipidemia
    excessive blood levels of lipids
    hypertriglyceridemia
    excessive blood levels of triglycerides
    lipoprotein lipase
    enzyme that breaks down triglycerides into free fatty acids
    lipoproteins
    combinations of lipids and proteins that carry cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood
    low-density lipoproteins (LDL or LDL-cholesterol)
    cholesterol-rich lipoprotein made by the liver and implicated in the development of atherosclerosis; “bad cholesterol”
    pleiotropic effects
    additional beneficial effects of statin medications unrelated to their lipid-lowering effects
    triglycerides
    main dietary source of fat; composed of three long fatty acid chains attached to a glycerol backbone
    very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL)
    triglyceride-rich lipoprotein made by the liver

    This page titled 21.6: Key Terms is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by OpenStax.

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