Hepatitis c – Treatment

Discusses the treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C and is for patients and the public . Today almost all Chronic Hepatitis C can be cured using medicines that are both effective and safe. It is the last in the series of three videos on Hepatitis C .

This video will attempt to answer the following QUESTIONS;
• How is chronic hepatitis C treated ?

WORD INDEX:
• HCV RNA is the genetic material of the virus.
• HCV RNA PCR is a blood test used to detect the viral genetic material.
• Hepatitis C genotype refers to the variation in the genetic material that occurs in the hepatitis C virus.
• Sustained viral response (SVR) is when the HCV RNA, is not detected in the blood, 12 weeks after completing treatment. This is considered as a cure.
• Direct Acting Antivirals ( DAA) are a group of drugs used to to treat Hepatitis C.

SUMMARY;
Over 95 % of patients can be cured with current medication, and in doing so it will decrease complications namely liver cirrhosis, liver failure, cancer and early death. These oral medicines are safe and effective.

The videos are easy to understand and tries to use everyday language as far as possible. The videos are full of images and follow a standard format of topic objective, word index, content and summary. Each topic covers diagnosis, investigation, management and prevention. Videos are an average of between 5 to 10 minutes. I created the videos, using my

over 30 years of experience in managing patients with gut and liver problems . I am a gastroenterologist and hepatologist and was trained in Edinburgh and Tokyo and have worked in academia and the private sector.
As the adage goes “A picture is worth a thousand words”. I believe combining images and explanations using blackboards, helps one better understand a medical condition. With knowledge, a person gets a better sense of control, and hence is empowered to make informed decisions.