Review article

Contemporary approach to chronic hepatitis C treatment

Goran Poropat ; Zavod za gastroenterologiju, Katedra za internu medicinu, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Rijeka
Sandra Milić ; Zavod za gastroenterologiju, Katedra za internu medicinu, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Rijeka
Davor Štimac ; Zavod za gastroenterologiju, Katedra za internu medicinu, Medicinski fakultet Sveučilišta u Rijeci, Rijeka

Abstract

Chronic hepatitis C is one of the major causes of chronic liver disease and a global health and economic burden of our time, which affects almost 3 % of the world’s population. Virus elimination and effective treatment are associated with a decreased incidence of hepatocelullar carcinoma, liver-related mortality and all-cause mortality in affected patients. The progress of the research in the field of viral genetics and pathophysiologic mechanisms in the last decade has resulted in significant improvements in pharmacotherapy and treatment outcomes with increased possibilities of a permanent cure. However, the real evolution, or better, revolution in pharmacotherapy is happening in the last two years with the development of new direct antiviral agents, which greatly facilitate treatment and shorten its duration with a better end-result. By approving and making interferon-free modalities available in the EU, USA and Japan the role of previous treatment approaches is being all the more reduced, which significantly improves the safety profile of treatment of these patients. Further advance of new forms of therapy certainly leads to the fact that in the relatively near future hepatitis C eradication will be achieved by single-tablet regimens used for a shorter period of time. This review article presents contemporary therapeutic approaches and treatment recommendations for chronic hepatitis C with reference to certain features, advantages and disadvantages of specific drugs.

Keywords

antiviral agents; chronic hepatitis C; interferon-alpha; liver diseases

Hrčak ID:

152927

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/152927

Publication date:

1.3.2016.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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