Hepatitis is caused by many things, but at the end of the day, hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver. It can be caused by viral infections, as well as medications and alcohol. If, however, you have Hepatitis C, this means your liver is inflamed due to an infection started by the hep C virus. If you’re looking for medication to treat hep c, you’ve come to the right place. Below are 3 types of medication, all of which help to treat Hepatitis C.
Medication to Treat Hep C
1. Direct-Acting Agents (DAA)
This is the first medication to treat hep c, and they are called direct-acting agents because, unlike ribavirin, DAA directly blocks the hep C virus from growing.
Side effects of taking this medication to treat hep C are the following: fatigue, anemia, slow heartbeat, and vomiting.
2. Ribavirin
The second medication to treat hep C on this list is called Ribavirin. Essentially, this medication stops viruses from both spreading and reproducing. This medication to treat hep C comes in three forms, all of which are taken orally. The first is a capsule, while the second and third are tablet and solution. This medication also comes in a range of strengths.
Brand names are as follows:
- Ribasphere RibaPak
- Rebetol
- Copegus
Further, there are side effects when taking this medication, but it will help stop the hep C virus from spreading. Side effects include memory loss, muscle pain, and nausea.
3. Protease inhibitors
Despite being a widely used medication, the action of protease inhibitors is still not fully understood. It’s thought that it stops the virus from replicating. One good thing about this medication is that it can be used with other medication, or by itself. Examples of this medication to treat hep C are:
- elbasvir
- ledipasvir
- daclatasvir
The Takeaway
If you don’t like the sound of these, speak with your doctor about which hep C medication is best suited to you.
Featured Image: DepositPhotos/ denisismagilov
