How to treat Hepatitis C
Introduction
Hepatitis C, caused by the Hepatitis C virus, is a communicable disease that causes the liver to become inflamed. It predominantly spreads from human to human through contact with blood and other body fluids.
Symptoms of Hepatitis C infection
Common symptoms experienced by an infected person include fever, an upset tummy, loss of appetite, constant exhaustion, and yellow eyes. A hepatitis antibody test on a blood sample is the only way to confirm infection. There is currently no vaccine available against the disease, and one should practice ways to reduce the risk of infection. But what happens if one becomes infected?
Drugs to treat Hepatitis C infection
Hepatitis C can be treated and cured. The world health organization has approved several drugs to treat the disease depending on the stage or phase it was detected. Ledikast tablet, manufactured by Natco Pharma and marketed by Aprazer, are the most popular drug used to treat the disease. The tablets come in a 28-pill packaging size and are taken through the mouth. Patients are often advised to avoid taking Ledikast tablets if they have previously had a Hepatitis B infection, as the pills may result in reinfection. The tablets cause dizziness, back pain, headaches, tiredness, and nausea after being taken. The suggested dosage of Ledikast tablets is one tablet per day with plenty of water, with or without food.
Ledikast tablets are a combination of two drugs called Ledipasvir and Sofosbuvir. Ledipasvir was developed by Gilead Sciences, an American pharmaceutical company, between 2010 and 2014. The drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA). Sofosbuvir was initially discovered in 2007 and later approved for medical use by the FDA in 2013. It currently trades under the name of Sovaldi. Each Ledikast tablet contains 90mg of ledipasvir and 400mg of sofosbuvir. Hepatitis C attacks the liver by replicating the HCV NS5A and NS5B proteins. The two drugs mentioned above are direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs that selectively inhibit the multiplication and secretion of the proteins.
Four hepatitis C genotypes require Ledikast tablets treatment: type 1, type 4, type 5, and type 6. All the types have a 12-week treatment period except for a type 1 with cirrhosis, in which case the treatment will be 24 weeks. Ledipasvir takes about 5 hours to be completely absorbed into the blood once taken, while sofosbuvir takes about an hour and 30 minutes. Once both drugs have completed their tasks, the approximate time for half of the drug to be excreted out from the body is 47 hours for ledipasvir and 40 14 hours for sofosbuvir.
Instructions for taking medicines
Ledikast tablets are only aimed at treating adults, and under no circumstances should a child below the age of twelve take them. Manufacturers and doctors also strongly advise the following:
- Tablets are taken about the same time every day and not more than the prescribed dosage as this will result in an overdose.
- The pill should be taken as a whole and not bitten or squashed.
- Do not take with fizzy drinks or alcohol as that may result in the medicine not being absorbed correctly.
- When taken with food, the food should not contain too much fat, as the fat will reduce the positive effect of the drugs on the body’s mechanism.
- Consult your doctor if you have any health conditions that may be affected by the consumption of the tablets.
- Consult your doctor if the side effects become too severe.
- Do not kiss or have unprotected sex with your partner while undergoing treatment, as the virus can still spread.