arrhythmia is the medical terms for a disturbance of the heart’s natural rhythm.
- tachycardia refers to when the heart beats too fast.
- bradycardia is when the heart beats too slowly.
Glossary
Selected words and phrases
duration of ruptured membranes – time between when the mother’s waters break and the actual delivery.
dual therapy – using 2 drugs together.
inhibition (in the liver) – refers to the body processing a drug more slowly by inhibiting (or reducing) the enzymes that clear the drug. This leads to higher drug levels.
IRIS (immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome) – illnesses that occur when HIV treatment is started when the CD4 count is very low.
IRIS occurs because the immune system quickly becomes stronger and identifies infections that it was previously too weak to fight.
IRIS can occur in 1 in 4 (25%) people who start with a CD4 count under 50 cells/mm3.
Although the symtoms are serious, IRIS can usually be easily managed.