Hepatitis C

Treatment

Treatment options for hepatitis C are determined by blood test, biopsy results, and other factors, and are not based solely on the presence of symptoms, since the disease is typically asymptomatic.

• Pegylated Interferon: a form of interferon, given once a week.  The pegylation of the interferon delays clearance rate in the body, and maintains higher interferon levels in the blood.
• Ribavirin: is given by mouth in combination with alpha interferon, and the length of treatment is determined by the physician.
• Combination of Interferon and Ribavirin: generally when treating patients for HCV the two treatments are given together, and is considered the most effective treatment for reducing the HCV viral load.