Glossary

malignant – dangerous. A malignant cancer is a dangerous cancer that is growing.

low level resistance – when there is some resistance but it does not have any significant impact on how well a drug works.  The HIV drug is still sensitve and is  considered active.

Hypotension is the medical name for low blood pressure.

Blood pressure is measured as two numbers ie 120/80. The first number is systolic BP – the pressure when your heart beats. The second number is diastolic BP, which is the pressure when you heart rests between beats.

Target range for BP is usually 120/80.

See: hypertension (high blood pressure).

nanotechnology – science working with tiny particles at the level of manipulating individual molecules. This is an exciting field of medicine. Drugs developed with nanotechnology would need much lower drug doses (hopefully cheaper and having fewer side effects) and would be longer lasting (perhaps being taken every2–4 weeks).