Hepatitis B and C Therapy
In consultation with our specialist team of gastroenterologists, Direct Endoscopy Hospitals offer comprehensive treatment for those affected by either Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B treatment is suitable for people at a particular stage of infection, characterised by:
- increased virus activity and liver inflammation
- inflammation and activity in the liver as seen in the results of a liver biopsy
- high levels of Hepatitis B virus in the blood
Treatment aims are to stop the virus from multiplying, or reduce the rate of multiplication as much as possible, optimising liver function and decreasing the risk of serious liver disease developing later in life.
Several different medications to treat chronic hepatitis B are funded under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS), with the most common being anti-viral medications (Entecavir) taken as tablets each day. During treatment, the patients are monitored carefully to look for signs of antiviral resistance, in which case the medication may be changed.
Hepatitis C
We have been providing antiviral therapy for Hepatitis C for over twenty years.
Treatment for Hepatitis C has been recently revolutionized with the development of new and highly effective drugs with very high success rate of virus eradication and minimal side effects.
These new oral drugs such as Sovaldi, Harvoni and Daklinza offer success rates of over 95 percent with duration of therapy 12 to 24 weeks depending on the degree of fibrosis (liver scarring).
These new drugs are funded by the PBS with minimal costs to the patients.
These exciting changes will lead to a large number of patients now effectively treated with no significant side effects, and will hopefully lead in the future to complete Hepatitis C eradication as a disease.
For an appointment, consultation and treatment please contact our centres on 9781 4434