Atherosclerosis refers to a narrowing or hardening of large and medium sized arteries.
The narrowing is caused by a build-up of plaque, and usually takes many years.
As the walls of the artery thicken, the heart has to work harder to pump the same amount of blood through a narrower gap.
retrovirus – a family of viruses that includes HIV.
mega-HAART – a term for a drug combination that uses five or more HIV drugs, usually including 2–3 protease inhibitors. Rarely used now.
in-vivo – a study carried out in humans.
side effect – an unwanted effect from taking a medicine. Sometimes called an adverse event or drug toxicity.