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EAP
employment assistance program; some employers have EAPs to help their employees with counselling or support
early warning systems
program of drug surveillance, usually informal, that tracks trends and changes in the quality and potency of drugs and can include drugs causing overdose, or changes in what drugs are cut with
edema
abnormal accumulation of fluid in body tissue, usually arms, hands, legs, feet and face; swelling
EI
Employment Insurance; short-term monthly income for people who had to stop working because of layoffs, illness, or pregnancy
EIA
enzyme immunoassay; blood test that detects the presence of antibodies to a virus. With the hepatitis C virus, EIA is used as an initial screening test and may also be called ELISA.
electrocardiogram
ECG; graph that shows the electrical activity of the heart; it is used to measure the strength and frequency of heartbeats
ELISA
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or EIA; a blood test used to detect the presence of antibodies to a virus
end-stage liver disease
disease in which the liver has minimal function. The only treatment for end-stage liver disease is liver transplantation.
endocarditis
inflammation of the inner lining of the heart, including the heart valves, usually caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream
enzyme
natural chemical made by the body to make changes or chemical reactions in other substances
esophagus
muscle-lined tube extending from the throat to the stomach
EVR
Early Virological Response; an undetectable RNA test (or a 2 log drop in viral load) 12 weeks into treatment used to predict the likelihood of treatment success
exterior piercings
jewellery that pierces the skin on the outside of the body, like earrings, belly button rings, or nipple rings