Hepatitis C Medication

The two main types of hepatitis C medication are peginterferon and ribavirin. Peginterferon is a man-made version of a natural protein that helps your immune system fight infections. This hepatitis C medication is given as a weekly injection. Ribavirin is a pill taken twice a day. Within hours of taking them, these hepatitis C medications can start to make the amount of viruses in your blood go down. While peginterferon and ribavirin are the medications of choice for treating hepatitis C, most people experience at least a few side effects from this combination therapy.

 

Hepatitis C Medication: An Overview

A couple different drugs are used to treat
 hepatitis C. One hepatitis C medication is named peginterferon and the other is ribavirin. Peginterferon can work by itself to treat hepatitis C, but ribavirin cannot. Using the two drugs together is called combination therapy. Peginterferon is sold under the brand name PEGASYS® or Peg-Intron®. Ribavirin is sold under the brand name COPEGUS® or Rebetol®.
 
The hepatitis C virus, or HCV, is constantly making copies of itself in your liver cells. Your immune system has been working hard to fight off the virus, but since the virus is constantly multiplying, your immune system needs some help.
 
Peginterferon and ribavirin are currently the best weapons in the fight against hepatitis C. Together, these hepatitis C medications can kill the hepatitis C virus and also help make your immune system stronger, so it is even better at destroying the virus. When you take combination therapy, both of these things happen inside your body at the same time.
 
(Hepatitis C Medication Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD