Once you have cirrhosis, treatment focuses on keeping the condition from worsening. It may be possible to stop or slow the damage. Cirrhosis usually progresses to the point where the liver loses most or all of its function — liver failure.
In addition, people with cirrhosis may develop:. The only effective treatment for people with end-stage liver disease is a liver transplant. Chronic hepatitis C virus is the most frequent cause of liver transplantation in the United States. Most people who receive liver transplants for hepatitis C survive for at least five years after their transplants, but almost always hepatitis C virus returns.
If you're diagnosed with hepatitis C or end-stage liver disease, see a doctor who specializes in gastrointestinal diseases or liver diseases hepatologist.
Newer, more-effective hepatitis C treatments can eliminate the virus in many people, reducing the risk of end-stage liver disease. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health. Error Email field is required. Error Include a valid email address. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information and to understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your e-mail and website usage information with other information we have about you.
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However because hepatitis C is classified as an infectious disease there are a number of issues it is important for you and your family to be aware of. People are not tested for hepatitis C as a matter of course when they die, but their status may either become apparent from the way they died — for example, with end stage liver disease ESLD or, if you die of something unrelated or sudden — for example a heart attack, then an autopsy will be required.
The autopsy might reveal liver damage in which case additional tests may be run to establish the cause of that. Your status may also be revealed by your medical records if they are examined in the course of determining the cause of death. In some cases an actual diagnosis may not come until after death, given that many people living with hepatitis C are unaware that they have it.
All those who die with infectious diseases for example vCJD, HIV, HBV are treated extremely cautiously by undertakers and morticians to ensure their own health and safety. This is to ensure that care is taken when transporting the body and to warn anyone responsible for handling it to take extra care.
It is extremely unlikely that an undertaker will agree to embalm or prepare a body that is known to have hepatitis C. Certainly they are advised not to by the Public Heath England. Aside from preserving or enhancing the look of the body, this rule also extends to dressing the body, in particular clothes, applying make-up, combing hair etc.
Once the symptoms start to show, the person usually already has liver damage, which can affect treatment and prognosis. There are two main types of HCV: acute and chronic. The immune system clears most other cases. There are also different genotypes, or variations, of the virus. These strains of the virus have evolved over many years.
A person will usually discover that they have HCV either after a blood test or because symptoms of liver damage have started to appear. The symptoms of liver damage tend to appear when a person has had chronic HCV for many years. Chronic HCV needs treatment to prevent liver damage and other complications. For some people whose immune systems can clear it, acute HCV is a short-lived viral infection. The sections below cover the possible symptoms and outlook of acute HCV.
Acute HCV usually produces no symptoms. If symptoms do occur in acute HCV, however, they may include:. People with acute HCV may not require any direct treatment. If a doctor is able to detect and diagnose acute HCV infection early, they will be able monitor it. That said, acute HCV will develop into chronic HCV if the body does not spontaneously clear the virus within 6 months of infection.
For people with HCV who receive a diagnosis before any liver damage or scarring occurs, the prognosis will tend to be better than for people who receive a diagnosis after scarring or liver damage has already occurred.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC suggest that people undergo testing for HCV, especially if they were born between and , have used injectable drugs, or have other potential risk factors. Detecting and diagnosing the infection early may allow the person to treat it before liver damage or scarring can occur. The majority of people with chronic HCV will display no symptoms until decades after infection, unless other complications develop.
Treatment will vary based on the genotype of the virus and the presence of any other health conditions a person has. Treatments are continually improving, making it possible for a person to live an active and normal life with HCV.
Treatment usually completely rids the body of the virus. In the United States, typical treatments for HCV used to include interferon, which is an injection, and ribavirin, which is an oral medication.
However, newer medications called direct-acting antivirals DAAs are starting to make the treatment process shorter and more effective.
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