Hepatitis C

Patients should be advised of the following when using combination antiviral therapy containing ribavirin:

• Requires strict use of contraception by both men and women, during treatment and for 6 months after treatment ends.

Patients should also be advised that:

• All alcohol should be avoided, because some data suggest that as little as 140 g weekly can triple the rate of cirrhosis[133]Pessione F, Degos F, Marcellin P, et al. Effect of alcohol consumption on serum hepatitis C RNA and histological lesions in chronic HCV. Hepatology. 1998 Jun;27(6):1717-22. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9620348?tool=bestpractice.com

• Paracetamol need not be restricted, except in people with cirrhosis, for whom a maximum of 2 g/day can be safely taken (half the maximum dose in healthy patients)

• Caution should be exercised when taking new drugs including over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, and herbal medicines, as some of these drugs may interact with antiviral therapies

• Medication dose adjustments are only essential for patients with cirrhosis, in which case package labelling often serves as a guide.​​

All patients should be provided with education on how to avoid transmitting the virus to others, and how to take their medications correctly (e.g., frequency, in relation to food).[66]American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases; Infectious Diseases Society of America. HCV guidance: recommendations for testing, managing, and treating hepatitis C. Dec 2023 [internet publication]. https://www.hcvguidelines.org ​​​​

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have numerous resources available for patients and health professionals. CDC: hepatitis C Opens in new window