The most common
hepatitis C treatment is called combination therapy. This method uses two different drugs: peginterferon and ribavirin. Peginterferon, which is sold under the brand names PEGASYS
® or Peg-Intron
®, can be used by itself or with ribavirin (COPEGUS
®, Rebetol
®). Peginterferon is given by self-injection once a week; ribavirin is a pill taken twice daily.
Studies have shown that when taking combination therapy, between 40 and 80 percent of patients have a sustained virological response (SVR) to this treatment for
hepatitis C. A sustained response means that no
hepatitis C virus RNA can be detected in the person's blood six months after finishing the treatment.
A few different factors can affect the success of treating hepatitis C. These factors include:
- The genotype of the hepatitis C virus (i.e., the specific arrangement of genetic material)
- The amount of virus present in the body
- How long the person has had the hepatitis C virus (HCV)
- The amount of damage already done to the liver.
(Click Hepatitis C Treatment for more information about the options available for hepatitis C and suggestions for staying healthy during and after treatment.)
