Adherence (ad-héer-əns): Consistently taking medication as prescribed. If a patient does not adhere to HIV medication as prescribed, it is possible to develop drug resistance.
AIDS: Stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
AIDS-defining infection or condition: Also known as opportunistic (op”ər-too-nis′tik) infection or conditions. These are usually illnesses that a person not infected with HIV normally wouldn't get.
Antiretroviral (an”tĭ-ret'ro-vi”rəl) drugs: Also referred to as ARVs. Antiretroviral drugs help to manage and control the virus by slowing down HIV's ability to replicate.
CD4+ cells: Also known as T cells, CD4+ cells are part of your immune system. They identify and fight infections and other diseases that invade your body.
Genotypic (jen”o-ti'pik) test: A test to see if the HIV virus has developed mutations that may be resistant to certain medications.
HAART: Stands for Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy. Three or four anti-HIV drugs with different methods of working are taken together to avoid resistance.
HCP: An HCP, or healthcare provider, is the doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional that is responsible for your HIV care.
HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV infects healthy immune cells and prevents them from protecting the body from infection and disease.
Immune system (ĭ-mūn' sis'təm): Defends your body from infection and disease. HIV and AIDS can harm the functioning of your immune system.
Phenotypic (fe”no-tip'ik) test: A test to see if a drug is effective against your virus by measuring the amount of a specific drug needed to keep the HIV virus from reproducing.
Regimen (rej' ĭ-mən): When used in the context of treatment, a regimen is a combination of medications taken together. It can also be called a “cocktail.”
Replicate (rep”lĭ-kāt): When used in the context of HIV, replicate is the word used to describe the action that HIV cells undergo when they make new copies of themselves.
Resistance (ri-zis'-tən[t]s): This means that some HIV medications may not work as well, or sometimes at all, against your virus.
Undetectable (un'-de-tek'table): When the HIV virus can't be found by tests used to measure the amount of it in the blood (remember, even though it can't be found, the virus is always in the body).
Viral load (vi'rəl lōd): The amount of HIV in a sample of blood.
Please consult Full Prescribing Information, including boxed WARNING, Medication Guide, and Important Safety Information for VIRAMUNE.
