Hydrolysis : The splitting of a compound into fragments by the addition of water, the hydroxyl group being incorporated in one fragment and the hydrogen atom in the other.

Hypercholesterolemia : Chronic high levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Hypertension : High blood pressure, a condition that can damage vascular walls and make them more receptive to cholesterol deposits.

Intestine : General term often used to describe both the small and large intestine.

Ischemia : Reduced blood flow in narrowed arteries.

LDL : Low-density lipoprotein, the bad cholesterol, that has a tendency to deposit cholesterol on tissues, including arteries and blood vessels.

Lipids : Fatty substances extracted from animal foods and found in the blood.

Mevalonate or mevalonic acid : A six-carbon organic acid that serves as an intermediate in cholesterol biosynthesis.

mg/dl : Milligrams per deciliter, a unit of measurement denoting the proportion of solids in a liquid medium.

Monoacylglycerol lipases : An enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of gylcerol monesters of long-chain fatty acids.

Phospholipid : The major structural lipid of most cellular membranes (except the cholorplast, which as galactolipids). Contains phosphate, usually as a diester.

Plaque : A collection of lipids (mostly cholesterol) in the blood vessel walls surrounded by tissue. Plaque can narrow the vessels or tear, causing a clot to form, eventually blocking the vessel.

Plasma Vol : Volume of plasma in the circulation. It is usually measured by indicator dilution techniques.

Obesity : Abnormal body weight, usually defined as more than 20 percent above average for age, height, and bone structure.

Saturated fat : A dietary fat derived primarily from animal-based foods such as meat and dairy products.

Serum cholesterol : The level of total cholesterol in the bloodstream.

Systole : The portion of the heart cycle during which the heart muscle is contracting.

Systolic pressure : The highest blood pressure produced by the contraction of the heart. Recorded as the first number in your blood pressure measurement.

Triglycerides : An energy source. In the liver, fatty acids are incorporated into triglycerides and secreted as VLDL; in the intestines, fatty acids are incorporated into triglycerides and secreted as chylomicrons.

VLDL : Very low-density lipoprotein, a precursor and similar to LDL, that also contains triglycerides.