In order to bring you the best possible user experience, this site uses Javascript. If you are seeing this message, it is likely that the Javascript option in your browser is disabled. For optimal viewing of this site, please ensure that Javascript is enabled for your browser.
skip over navigation
Print
PRINT  
Email
EMAIL

Digestive and Liver Diseases

 Liver Diseases

Learn More

Dotted Line

MoreMedical

Heavy alcohol use, binge drinking might increase risk of cancer

Limiting carbs, not calories, reduces liver fat faster, UT Southwestern researchers find

MoreHealth Tips

Clean habits can prevent most common forms of hepatitis

Dotted Line

FAQs Hepatitis C

View pdf

Hepatitis C FAQ

Q: What is viral hepatitis?

A: Hepatitis simply means an inflammatory process in the liver, which can be caused by chemicals, drugs, or viruses. The term “viral hepaitis” describes any one of the illnesses caused by five viruses, labeled A through E. Viruses A and E can be contracted from contaminated water or food, while viruses B, C, and D are transmitted by direct injection into the bloodstream.

Q: What is the hepatitis C virus?

A: The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most important causes of chronic liver disease in the United States. Chronic hepatitis C can cause cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer. More than 4 million Americans have chronic hepatitis C.

Q: What are the symptoms of hepatitis C?

A: The first symptoms of hepatitis C occur between six to 12 weeks of contact with the virus. The most common symptoms include fatigue, nausea, poor appetite, fever, chills, headaches, sore throat, and joint pain. Many patients have no symptoms. Without treatment at the onset of symptoms, the patient will develop chronic hepatitis C, which can lead to cirrhosis of the liver.

Q: How infectious is hepatitis C?

A: HCV is spread primarily by contact with infected blood and blood products. Blood transfusions prior to June 1992 and the use of shared, unsterilized, or poorly sterilized needles, syringes, and injection equipment have been the main routes of the spread of HCV in the U. S. Other risk factors for acquiring HCV are: injecting drugs, including having used injection drugs only once many years ago; suffering an inadvertent, HCV-contaminated needle-stick in a hospital or healthcare environment; born to an HCV-infected mother; and, rarely, sexual contact with someone with hepatitis C.

Q: How does one guard against hepatitis C?

A: To guard against hepatitis C:

  • Do not share drug needles.
  • Wear gloves if you have to touch another person's blood.
  • Use a condom during sex.
  • Do not borrow another person's toothbrush, razor, or anything else that could have blood on it.
  • Make sure any tattoos or body piercings you get are done with sterile tools.

Q: What is the treatment for hepatitis C?

A: Chronic hepatitis C is treated with drugs that slow or stop the HCV from damaging the liver.

Chronic hepatitis C is most often treated with the drug combination peginterferon and ribavirin, which attacks the hepatitis C virus. Peginterferon is taken through weekly shots and ribavirin is taken daily by mouth. Treatment lasts from 24 to 48 weeks. Two new drugs that are from a new class of medicines known as HCV protease inhibitors have recently been approved by the FDA for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 in adult patients who have never been treated or who have failed previous interferon/ribavirin-based therapy. The two drugs — boceprevir and telaprevir — act directly on the HCV protease, an enzyme essential for viral replication. It is important to emphasize that these two new drugs will increase substantially the response rate for many patients and may result in a shorter treatment for some (24 weeks instead of 48 weeks). Up to 90 percent of patients never treated with interferon/ribavirin may clear the virus with a new drug. Approximately 60 percent of those who relapsed and 30 percent of those who did not respond to interferon/ ribavirin previously may still be able to clear the virus with the new, three-drug regimen. Not all patients will be candidates for treatment with these new drugs since interferon and ribavirin are still required.

Q: How does a patient know which of the new drugs is right for him/her?

A: Each patient will need to think about the pros and cons of these new medications and discuss options with their physician. Not everyone will be a candidate for treatment since interferon and ribavirin are still required. Additionally, the new, three-drug regimen is approved for genotype 1 only, which represents approximately 75 percent of HCV in the U. S.

Q: Are there any side effects from these new drugs?

A: Both boceprevir (Victrelis™) and telaprevir (Incivik™) have significant drug interactions with common medications, such as statins, which need to evaluated and monitored. Anemia is more common with boceprevir (50 percent) and telaprevir (36 percent) than peginterferon/ribivarin alone. Up to a third of patients on boceprevir report a change in taste, whereas rash (56 percent) and anorectal discomfort (11 percent) is more common with telaprevir.

Q: Are there programs to help patients pay for these treatments?

A: These new drugs can be very expensive. To understand your potential out of pocket expenses we suggest you check with your insurance company regarding coverage. Additionally you can contact the drug companies, as they offer patient assistance programs and/or coupons. For boceprevir (Victrelis) and Pegintron — Merck ACT program at www.merckhelps.com or 866-363-6379. For telaprevir (Incivek) — Vertex at www.vrtx.com/patients.html or 855-837-8394.

Q: How soon can a patient begin treatment with these new drugs?

A: It typically takes at least four weeks to get insurance approval and receive the medications. Patients can receive their first dose at the end of the mandatory nurse teaching visit. Although many have given interferon injections and taken ribivarin in the past, all must attend the

Drop Shadow