Glossary

wasting – loss of lean body mass (muscle loss). A unplanned or unexplained wight loss of more than 5% body weight over six months can be an AIDS-defining illness.

Weight loss and wasting section of the training manual.

mg (milligram) – abbreviation for milligram. 1000 milligrams = 1 gram.

compensatory mutation – this refer to an additional mutation, usually in the context of the fitness of a virus. For example, the mutations that stop a drug form working often stop the virus from reproducing as well. Additional mutations that return the virus to it’s former fitness are called compensatory mutations. They compensate for the reduced viral fitness. See revertant mutation.

Cardiovascular refers to the heart and blood vessels.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the general term for disease to the heart and related blood vessels.

Hickman line – a fixed central line that is used to deliver IV drugs close to where they are needed in the body.