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H
- HAART
- haematocrit
- haematology
- haemoglobin
- haemophilia
- half-life
- helper cell
- hepatic
- hepatitis
- hepatotoxicity
- herpes simplex
- herpes viruses
- hickman catheter
- histology
- historical control
- HIV
- homeopathy
- hormone
- human papilloma virus (HPV)
- hyper
- hyperglycaemia
- hyperlipidaemia
- hypersensitivity
- hypertension
- hypertriglyceridaemia
- hypo
- hypoxaemia
Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy, a term used to describe anti-HIV combination therapy with three or more drugs.
haematocrit
(hee-ma-toe-krit)
Measurement of the proportion of red cells in the blood.
haematology
(hee-ma-tol-o-gee)
Study of blood conditions. Also used to describe a range of biochemical tests carried out on the blood.
haemoglobin
(hee-ma-glow-bin)
Red-coloured, oxygen-carrying chemical in red blood cells.
haemophilia
(hee-ma-fill-ee-uh)
Inherited illness in which the blood does not always clot, often requiring injections of blood clotting agents.
half-life
The amount of time it takes for half a dose of any drug to be eliminated from the body.
helper cell
An alternative name for CD4 T cells.
hepatic
(he-pa-tick)
To do with the liver.
hepatitis
(he-pa-ty-tuss)
Inflammation or infection of the liver.
hepatotoxicity
(he-pa-toe-tox-i-cit-tee)
Side-effects affecting the liver.
herpes simplex
(her-peez sim-plex)
A viral infection which may cause sores around the mouth or genitals.
herpes viruses
Family of viruses which can cause disease in HIV infection, e.g. cytomegalovirus and herpes zoster.
hickman catheter
A type of catheter that is surgically implanted, with one end leading into a large vein in the chest, and the other end remaining outside the chest.
HICKMAN is a registered trade mark of C R Bard Inc
histology
(hiss-tol-o-gee)
Examining a sample of cells under a microscope to determine if they are normal or if there is evidence of infections or tumours.
historical control
A comparison group of people not taking an experimental drug, taken from previous clinical trials.
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus, the virus which causes AIDS. There are two variants: HIV-1, and HIV-2. HIV-1 is by far the most common world-wide. See subtype for more information.
homeopathy
(ho-mee-o-pu-thee)
A therapy which aims to treat illness using tiny quantities of the substance that caused the illness, or of a substance that causes similar symptoms.
hormone
A chemical which stimulates or suppresses cell and tissue activity.
human papilloma virus (HPV)
(hu-man pa-pill-low-muh vy-russ)
A group of wart-causing viruses which are also responsible for cancer of the cervix and some anal cancers.
hyper
(hy-puh)
Prefix meaning higher than usual.
hyperglycaemia
(high-puh-gly-see-me-uh)
Raised concentration of sugar in the blood.
hyperlipidaemia
(high-puh-li-pi-dee-mee-uh)
High levels of fat in the blood.
hypersensitivity
(high-puh-sen-sit-i-vit-ee)
An allergic reaction.
hypertension
(high-puh-ten-shun)
Raised blood pressure.
hypertriglyceridaemia
(high-puh-try-gli-si-ry-dee-me-uh)
High levels of triglycerides in the blood.
hypo
(high-po)
Prefix meaning lower than usual.
hypoxaemia
(high-pox-ee-mee-uh)
Reduced amounts of oxygen in the blood, usually caused by pneumonia.