Hepatitis C (HCV) is now curable with the newest drugs that have been introduced to the market to treat the more prevalent genotype of the infection. Similar to influenza (the flu), there are various strands of Hepatitis C.
Nearly 75% of individuals that catch HCV usually catch HCV 1a and 1b. Here are the medications used to treat this strand of HCV virus.
(ledipasvir/)
- Dosage: One tablet (ledipasvir 90 mg/ 400 mg) daily.
- Side effects: Fatigue and headache
Pak (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ tablets; tablets)
- Dosage: Two ombitasvir 12.5 mg/paritaprevir 75 mg/ 50 mg tablets once and one 250 mg tablet twice daily. Given with ribavirin if type 1a.
- Length of treatment is usually 12 or 24 weeks.
- Side effects: nausea, itching, and sleep problems.
Daklinza (daclatasvir) with Sovaldi ()
- Dosage: 60-mg of Daclatasvir with 400-mg of once a day.
- Length of treatment is 12 weeks.
- The most common side effects are fatigue and headache.
Epclusa (/velpatasvir)
- Dosage: One tablet ( 400 mg/velpatasvir 100 mg) once a day.
- Length of treatment is 12 weeks.
- The most common side effects are headaches and fatigue.
XR (ombitasvir, paritaprevir, , tablet)
- XR is a once-daily, which is the extended release formulation that contains the same ingredients as Pak (taken twice a day). It is given with ribavirin if the patient has genotype 1a.
- Dosage: Three times a day.
- If you also need ribavirin, this is an additional medication that will be taken twice a day.
- Length of treatment is 12 weeks (patients without cirrhosis) or 24 weeks (patients with compensated cirrhosis).
- Side effects: nausea, itching, and insomnia.
Olysio (simeprevir) plus Sovaldi ()
- Dosage of simeprevir: One 150-mg capsule once a day with food.
- Dosage of : One 400-mg tablet once a day with or without food.
- Possible side effects include fatigue, headache, nausea, insomnia, itching, rash, and photosensitivity.
Zepatier (elbasvir/grazoprevir)
- Dosage: One tablet (elbasvir 50 mg/grazoprevir 100 mg) daily.
- 12-week treatments but can extend to 16 weeks.
- Side effects: headaches, nausea, and dizziness
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