Bariatric treatments for adult obesity - Institute of Health Economics

High-density lipoprotein (HDL): a form of cholesterol that circulates in the blood, commonlycalled “good” cholesterol. An HDL of 60 mg/dl or greater is considered high and is protectiveagainst heart disease. An HDL of less than 40 mg/dl is considered low and increases the risk fordeveloping heart disease.Healthy weight: a body weight that is less likely to be linked with any weight-related healthproblems (such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, orother problems). A BMI between 18.5 kg/m 2 and 25 kg/m 2 is associated with a healthy weight,although not all individuals with a BMI in this range may be at a healthy level of body fat (they may,for example, have more body fat and less muscle tissue).Heart attack: the death of heart muscle due to the loss of blood supply. Loss of blood supply isusually caused by a complete blockage of a coronary artery, one of the arteries that supplies blood tothe heart muscle. Death of the heart muscle, in turn, causes chest pain and electrical instability ofheart muscle tissue.Heart disease: any disorder that affects the heart. Heart disease is synonymous with cardiac diseasebut not with cardiovascular disease, which is any disease of the heart or blood vessels. Types ofheart disease include angina, arrhythmia, congenital heart disease (CHD), coronary artery disease(CAD), dilated cardiomyopathy, heart attack (myocardial infarction), heart failure, hypertrophiccardiomyopathy, mitral regurgitation, mitral valve prolapse, and pulmonary stenosis.Herbal: a term referring to herbs, and which may reflect the botanical or medicinal aspects of herbs.Hormone: a chemical substance produced in the body. Hormones control and regulate the activityof certain cells or organs.Hypertension: repeatedly or consistently elevated blood pressure, characterized by a blood pressuremeasurement exceeding 140 over 90 mmHg.Hypothyroid: a deficiency of thyroid hormone (the hormone normally produced by the thyroidgland).Incidence: the frequency with which a disease appears in a particular population or area, defined asthe number of cases newly diagnosed during a specific time period.Incoherence statistic: the difference between direct and indirect evidence.Insulin: a natural hormone made by the pancreas that controls the level of the glucose in the blood.Insulin permits cells to use glucose for energy. Cells cannot use glucose without insulin.Insulin resistance: the diminished ability of cells to respond to the action of insulin in transportingglucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into muscle and other tissues. Insulin resistance typicallyheralds the onset of type 2 diabetes.Laparoscopy: direct visual examination for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes of the abdominalcavity, where the abdominal cavity has been previously distended by means of an endoscopeintroduced through the abdominal wall.Laparotomy: (also called open surgery) surgical incision through the abdominal wall and peritoneum.Lean body mass: the mass of the body minus the fat (storage lipid). A number of methods exist fordetermining lean body mass, including underwater weighing (hydrostatic weighing), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and bioelectric impedance analysis.Bariatric treatments for adult obesity – March 2012xix