October 2009

hepatitis – an infection that causes liver inflammation, usually a virus.

Hodgkins disease (HD) – a type of lymphoma (lymph cancer). Cancer: lymphoma and sarcoma

haemoglobin – substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen.

half-life (T1/2) the time taken a drug to clear from the highest concentration to half this level. Drugs have different half-lives in different compartments (ie half-life in blood can be different from the half-life inside a cell). It take 5 …

half-life (T1/2) – the time taken a drug to clear from the highest concentration to half this level. Drugs have different half-lives in different compartments (ie half-life in blood can be different from the half-life inside a cell). It take …

INI (integrase inhibitor) – type of HIV drug. Drug targets in the virus life cycle.

varices – extended or swollen veins in the liver that can burst. They can be a complication of cirrhosis.

toxicity – medical word for side effect, the potential harm a drug can cause.

thrombocytopenia – a low platelet count (platelets help stop bleeding by clotting blood).

steatosis – fatty liver. Build up of fat in the liver. Steatosis worsens liver damage and makes hepatitis C harder to treat.

ribavirin – drug used to boost the efficacy of pegylated interferon to treat hepatitis C. Given as twice-daily capsules.

PT (prothrombin time; pro-time) – PT testing measures the amount of time it takes for blood to clot. When the liver is damaged, its ability to make clotting factors is impaired. If this time increases – referred to as a …

portal hypertension – increased blood pressure (hypertension) in the vein carrying blood to the liver.

pegylated interferon (PEG interferon) – treatment for hepatitis C, given in combination with ribavirin. Given as a onceweekly injection.

neutropenia – very low amount of neutrophils (neutrophils are white blood cells that fight bacterial infections).

monoinfection – infection with only one virus

IDU – injecting drug user

hepatotoxicity – the medical term for liver-related side effects

hepatic – relating to the liver, ie hepatitis = liver inflamation, hepatocyte = liver cell etc.

hepatic encephalopathy – brain disease that occurs when serious liver damage prevents toxic substances from being flitered out of the blood, and they enter the brain. See encephalopathy.