liver and gallbladder disorders
Overview of Acute Viral Hepatitis
Treatment of Acute Viral Hepatitis
Supportive care Antiviral drugs for acute hepatitis C For most people with acute viral hepatitis, special treatment is not necessary. However, people with severe acute hepatitis may require hospitalization so that symptoms can be treated. If doctors suspect that fulminant hepatitis is developing, the person is hospitalized so that mental status can be monitored, liver tests can be done, and doctors can determine whether liver transplantation is needed. After the first several days, appetite usually returns and people do not need to stay in bed. Severe restrictions of diet or activity are unnecessary, and vitamin supplements are not required. Most people can safely return to work after the jaundice clears, even if their liver test results are not quite normal. People with hepatitis should not drink alcohol until they have fully recovered. The infected liver may not process (metabolize) drugs normally. So a doctor may need to stop a drug or reduce the dosage of a drug that could accumulate to harmful levels in the body (such aswarfarinortheophylline). Thus, people with hepatitis should tell their doctor all the drugs they are taking (both prescription and nonprescription, including any medicinal herbs), so that the dosage of the drug can be adjusted if necessary. If itching occurs,cholestyramine, taken by mouth, is often effective. If hepatitis B causes fulminant hepatitis, people are usually treated in an intensive care unit. Antiviral drugs may help. However, Liver Transplantation is the most effective treatment and is the best hope of survival, particularly for adults. People with acute hepatitis C infection should be treated with antiviral drugs to decrease the risk of transmission of the infection to others and to decrease the risk of hepatitis becoming chronic. 