TREATM ENT
Its's simpler-
The treatment for viral hepatitis depends on the
type and stage of the infection. .Hospitalization is
normally unnecessary unless you cannot eat or
drink or are vomiting.
.Hepatitis A usually requires minimal treatment
and your liver usually heals within 2 months.
Make sure you stay hydrated and
well-nourished. While a vaccination can prevent
you from getting hepatitis A, once you have had
it, you cannot be re-infected. Sometimes drug
therapy for people with hepatitis B and C is
given. Antiviral medication for hepatitis B
includes adefovir (Hepsera), entecavir
(Baraclude), interferon, lamivudine (Epivir),
peginterferon, telbivudine, and tenofovir
(Viread). Recently, the standard treatment -
peginterferon plus ribavirin for people with gene
2 and 3, and peginterferon plus ribavirin plus a
protease inhibitor for people with genotype 1.
These had been shown to be effective in from
50% to 80% of those infected with hepatitis C but
the side effects were very difficult for people to
tolerate. Direct acting antiviral drugs (DAAs),
these medicines are highly effective for most
people with hepatitis C and are interferon-free
and often ribavirin-free.
It means they have few side effects.
consisting of fewer pills for a shorter amount of time.
W HAT IS HEPATITIS?
DAAs are available as either single drugs or combined
Hepatitis refers to an inflammatory condition of
with other medicines in one pill.
the liver. It?s commonly caused by a viral
Elbasvir-grazoprevir (Zepatier),
ledipasvir-sofosbuvir ( Harvoni), and infection, but there are other possible causes of
sofosbuvir-velpatasvir (Epclusa) and are once daily hepatitis. These include autoimmune hepatitis
combination pills. Depending on the type of hepatitis , and hepatitis that occurs as a secondary result
these can often cure the disease in 8 to 12 weeks.
of medications, drugs, toxins, and alcohol.
Other s include: ombitasvir-paritaprevir-rritonavir
Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease that occurs
plus dasabuvir (Viekira Pak, Viekira XR);
ombitasvir-paritaprevir-ritonavir (Technivie), or when your body makes antibodies against your
some combinations of daclatasvir (Daklinza), liver tissue.
peginterferon, ribavirin, or sofosbuvir (Sovaldi).
Pat ient educat ion:
- Maintaining a healthy diet, especially HOW IS IT CAUSED?
avoiding fatty foods
.Common causes of hepatitis include
- Avoiding alcohol
- Avoiding taking any unnecessary Specific hepatitis viruses, Alcohol, Non-alcoholic
fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Nonalcoholic
medications
steatohepatitis (NASH), Drugs (eg, isoniazid)
- Maintaining a good level of physical
At least 5 specific viruses appear to be
fitness
- Having a good social support responsible for hepatitis (see table
Characteristics of Hepatitis). Other unidentified
system.
viruses probably also cause acute viral hepatitis.
..........................................G.Geethika
Pharm D 4th year
 W HAT ARE THE . Liver biopsy

DIAGNOSTIC M EASURES?

The Hist or y an d ph ysical exam

Abdomen to seen if there?s pain or tenderness. Your doctor

may also feel to see if your liver is enlarged. If your skin or
eyes are yellow it is to be noted.

Liver f u n ct ion t est s

Liver function tests use blood samples to determine how

W HAT ARE ITS SIGNS AND
SYM PTOM S ?
The most common symptoms of hepatitis are things like:
· Loss of appetite , Fatigue , Mild fever ,· Muscle or joint
aches , Nausea and vomiting
Pat hophysiology of commonly
occuring Hepat it is :
efficiently your liver works. Abnormal results of these tests
may be the first indication that there is a problem, especially
if you don?t show any signs on a physical exam of liver
disease. High liver enzyme levels may indicate that your liver
is stressed, damaged, or not functioning properly.
Ot h er blood t est s
If your liver function tests are abnormal, your doctor will
and Pain in your belly
likely order other bloodtests to detect the source of the
problem. These tests can check for the viruses that cause
hepatitis. They can also be used to check for antibodies that
are common in conditions like autoimmune hepatitis.
Ult r asou n d
An abdominal ultrasound uses ultrasound waves to create
an image of the organs within your abdomen. This test
allows your doctor to take a close at your liver and nearby
organs. It can reveal: fluid in your abdomen , liver damage or
A liver biopsy is an invasive procedure that
involves your doctor taking a sample of tissue
from your liver. It can be done through your skin
with a needle and doesn?t require surgery.
Typically, an ultrasound is used to guide your
doctor when taking the biopsy sample.
This test allows your doctor to determine how
infection or inflammation has affected your
liver. It can also be used to sample any areas in
your liver that appear abnormal.
If you have symptoms or signs of viral hepatitis,
they you can perform a blood test to check for
the presence of an antibody. If you have
hepatitis B or C, more blood samples may be
necessary later -- even if the symptoms have
vanished -- to check for complications and
determine if you have progressed from acute

enlargement , liver tumors, abnormalities of your
gallbladder
Sometimes the pancreas shows up on ultrasound images as
well. This can be a useful test in determining the cause of
your abnormal liver function.
(infected within the past six months) to chronic
(having the virus for greater than six months)
disease.
It's done in order to determine the extent of the
damage. A biopsy is commonly performed by
inserting a needle into the liver and drawing out
a fragment of tissue, which is then sent to a lab
to be analyzed.