Word parts
What it means
Fats that do not dissolve in water. In the blood they travel in protein packages: LDL ("bad") cholesterol builds up in artery walls, and HDL ("good") cholesterol carries cholesterol away. A lipid panel measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. High LDL raises the risk of atherosclerosisath-er-oh-skluh-ROH-sisA buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) inside the walls of the arteries.ather/o fatty pastescler/o hard-osis conditionFull entry and cardiovascular diseasekar-dee-oh-VAS-kyuh-ler dih-ZEEZAny disease of the heart or blood vessels.cardi/o heartvascul/o blood vessel-ar relating toFull entry .
For the nurse
Most lipid panels are drawn after fasting as ordered. Teach a diet low in saturated and trans fats, regular exercise and taking cholesterol drugs such as statins as prescribed.
At a glance
| Spanish | lípido |
|---|---|
| Also written | lipids |
Related terms
atherosclerosis
A buildup of fatty deposits (plaque) inside the walls of the arteries.
cardiovascular disease
Any disease of the heart or blood vessels.
adip/o
A word root that means fat; lip/o means the same.