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To help navigate your way through some of the medical jargon please find below a list of the most common words and phrases associated with cholesterol and heart health, hopefully explained in plain English and maybe a little easier to digest.

•    Angina: The pain that is caused when not enough oxygen-containing blood reaches the heart is called Angina. Angina is mainly caused by thickening of the arteries that supply blood to the heart due to the build up of cholesterol deposits.
•    Atheroma: Deposits of fat, cholesterol and cells (collectively known as "plaque") in the artery (blood vessel) wall. This 'furring up' process narrows and hardens the arteries and restricts blood flow, and can lead to angina when the main coronary arteries which supply the heart are affected.
•    Atherosclerosis: Disease and narrowing of the arteries caused by damage to the artery lining (endothelium) over a number of years, resulting in inflammation, scarring and thickening of the artery wall.
•    Beta-Glucan: Sticky substance found in oat bran and is a soluble fibre. During digestion it binds to Cholesterol in the gut soaking them up like a sponge and eliminating them from the body.
•    Cardiovascular disease (CVD): Disease of the heart and circulatory system which may lead to angina, heart attack, stroke and impaired circulation in the legs.
•    Coronary heart disease (CHD): Disease of the coronary arteries which supply the heart with oxygen and nutrients.
•    Diabetes mellitus: Disease caused by a lack of or resistance to a hormone called insulin which means that the body's ability to regulate levels of sugar is impaired. This may be treated with diet or medication including insulin.
•    Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH): An inherited (genetic) condition affecting around 1 in 500 people. FH leads to very high cholesterol levels and substantially increases the risk of early heart disease. People with FH, or suspected FH, should be referred to a specialist lipid clinic for treatment. Many people who have FH remain undiagnosed. For more information on FH visit www.heartuk.org.uk.
•    Fasting glucose levels: Blood sugar level following a period of not eating.
•    Guideline daily amounts (GDAs): A guide to how much energy and certain key nutrients are generally required for a healthy diet.
•    HDL cholesterol: High-density lipoprotein 'Good' cholesterol that transports excess cholesterol from the tissues (including the arterial wall) to the liver for disposal.
•    Heart failure: Term used to describe the symptoms and signs which occur if the heart becomes less efficient at pumping blood around the body, either while you are resting or exercising.
•    LDL cholesterol: Low-density lipoprotein 'Bad' cholesterol . This is chiefly involved in the transport of cholesterol from the liver to the body's tissues. LDL cholesterol comprises approximately 70% of Total cholesterol and therefore lowering LDL cholesterol often means a reduction in your Total cholesterol.
•    Metabolic syndrome: The name of a condition characterised by a number of medical problems which together increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease and diabetes.
•    Stroke: A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is disturbed in some way e.g. from a blockage in the flow of blood in arteries which can be caused by a build up of cholesterol. As a result, brain cells are starved of oxygen which can cause some cells to die and leaving other cells damaged.
•    Thrombosis: A blood clot that develops in one of the arteries and can stop the supply of oxygen to the heart is known as a coronary thrombosis.