Glossary

pharmacokinetics – the study of how drugs are absorbed, metabolised and cleared from the body.

ascites – an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, a sign of serious liver damage in people with hepatitis C.

jaundice – a common symptom of hepatitis where increased levels of bilirubin lead to a yellowing of the skin or eyes.

mega-HAART – a term for a drug combination that uses five or more HIV drugs, usually including 2–3 protease inhibitors. Rarely used now.

anaemia – shortage of oxygen-carrying red blood cells