Summary of Product Characteristics (SPCs) – detailed information about a drug provided by the maker that is approved by the European Regulatory Agency (EMEA/CPMP). Also called EPARs.
Glossary
Selected words and phrases
A fungal (yeast) infection that affects the mouth and throat, gullet, sinuses, genital organs and – rarely – the brain. Also called ‘candida’.
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).
morbidity – medical term for illness.
surrogate marker – A surrogate marker is when something that is easy to measure is used as a marker for something that is difficult to measure directly.
The CD4 count doesn’t directly measure HIV. But it is a good surrogate (or indirect) marker for how HIV has damaged your immune system. It is closely linked to the risk of HIV-related complications.
Viral load in blood is a good surrogate marker for levels of HIV in your body overall including in other body sites.