Glossary

Hypertension is the medical name for high blood pressure (BP). 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. Drugs to reduce BP are sometimes recommended if this is above 130/85 or 140/90. This also depends on other risk factors for heart disease, including age, sex, ethnicity ajd other health factors.

Hypertension increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke, particularly when diastolic BP is high.

See: Hypotension (low blood pressure).

virus – an infectious organism that can only reproduce inside the cell of another plant or animal.

severity – a measure of how bad something is.

DOT (directly observed therapy) – where a nurse or other healthcare worker observes or supervises someone take medicine.

blip – small, occasional increase in viral load.