Showing posts with label HCV diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HCV diet. Show all posts

Saturday, February 2, 2019

Blog Updates - Common Liver Tests, Overview of Hepatitis A, B, and C


Common Liver Tests, Overview of Hepatitis A, B, and C
If you’re interested in useful information about viral hepatitis, check out the following blogs written by patient bloggers and healthcare professionals. Read articles covering an array of liver topics, from the difference between hepatitis A, B and C, to a supplement commonly taken by hepatitis patients. Additional posts include today's news, common liver tests, general food tips for a healthy liver, alcoholic liver disease and a warning about fruit juices sold in the U.S.  Make sure to check out coverage from this months HCV Special Conference as well.

 News & Review 
Review a collection of noteworthy hepatitis C news articles in the latest issue of the Weekly Bull, published by the Canadian non-profit organization HepCBC.

News
Feb 6 - 2019 Hepatitis C - Testing, Treatment Options, Stages of fibrosis and Care
Feb 5 - In Egypt, Viral Hepatitis Elimination Starts With a Village: An Interview With Dr. Ammal Metwally
CDC reports Oklahoma among top states with Hepatitis C deaths
Hepatitis C: Out-of-Pocket Cost Burden for Specialty Drugs in Medicare Part D in 2019
For 28 of the 30 studied specialty drugs used to treat four health conditions—cancer, hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis (MS), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—expected annual out-of-pocket costs for a single drug in 2019 range from $2,622 for Zepatier, a treatment for hepatitis C, to $16,551 for Idhifa, a leukemia drug.
Analysis Estimates Impact of Interventions on Global HCV Epidemic
FDA accepts new drug application for liver cancer T-cell therapy
Not content with billions of dollars in profits from the potent painkiller OxyContin, its maker explored expanding into an “attractive market” fueled by the drug’s popularity — treatment of opioid addiction, according to previously secret passages in a court document filed by the state of Massachusetts. In internal correspondence beginning in 2014, Purdue Pharma executives discussed how the sale of opioids and the treatment of opioid addiction are “naturally linked” and that the company should expand across “the pain and addiction spectrum,” according to redacted sections of the lawsuit by the Massachusetts attorney general. (Armstrong, 1/30)

Don't Miss
This weeks aidsmap news bulletin
HCV Advocate's weekly special: Sleep

Blog Updates
Blogs from Doctors Without Borders 
In medical emergencies around the world Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) staff are working together to provide life-saving care. From doctors to nurses, administrators to mechanics, everyone has a role to play and a story to tell.

Pakistan: A new way of treating hepatitis C
Khurshid Ahmed
Feb 2, 2019
In Machar Colony, a slum area of Karachi, an Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) team have been treating patients for Hepatitis C using a new line of drugs to combat the virus.

New drugs, known as Direct Acting Antivirals (DAAs) are now widely available in Pakistan, making it easy for primary healthcare workers like me and my colleagues – all nurses and general practitioners – to manage the majority of patients.
Read More: https://blogs.msf.org/bloggers/khurshid/pakistan-new-way-treating-hepatitis-c
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I Help C
Karen Hoyt is devoted to offering support and accurate information to people coping with the effects of hepatitis C.
Crash Landing with Cirrhosis
Mindful Meditation and Your Health
Find Karen on Facebook or watch videos on her YouTube Page.
View all blog updates here.
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Lucinda K. Porter
Lucinda Porter is a nurse, speaker, advocate and patient devoted to increasing awareness about hepatitis C.
Fear of Sickness or Sickness of Fear?
View all new blog updates, here....
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Hep
Hep is an award-winning print and online brand for people living with and affected by viral hepatitis. 
Karen Hoyt - My Health Care Wishes: Prognosis Declaration
It’s best to know ahead of time how your health care will be managed. Then, you will be in control of how much information you want. 
View all blog updates, here...

Support At Hep
Hep Forums: Started Epclusa today 2/1/2019
All Posts
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AGA Blog
Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Written by Dr. Kristine Novak
View all blog updates, here...
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Life Beyond Hepatitis C
Life Beyond Hep C is where faith, medical resources and patient support meet, helping Hep C patients and their families navigate through the entire journey of Hep C.
Tests for Hepatitis C
View all updates, here...
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Canadian Liver Foundation
We strive to improve prevention and the quality of life of those living with liver disease by advocating for better screening, access to treatment, and patient care.

2019 - Canada’s Food Guide and your liver health
The Canadian Liver Foundation provided insight on this guide and how it can impact those living with liver disease. The new Food Guide also addresses concerns related to alcohol consumption and how this may impact the overall health of Canadians. This is highly relevant to Canadians with liver disease where caution should be considered. Although Health Canada’s Food Guide is restricted to diet, the Canadian Liver Foundation emphasizes that regular exercise and physical activity are essential components of the maintenance of good liver health and will enhance the benefits of a healthy diet.
View all blog updates, here...
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Hepatitis B Foundation
The Hepatitis B Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure and improving the quality of life for those affected by hepatitis B worldwide.
What is silymarin (milk thistle), and is it helpful for managing my hepatitis B and D? - Silymarin, an herb and extract of milk thistle seeds, is a supplement commonly taken by hepatitis patients across the world, yet its proven benefits remain controversial. It is not a treatment for hepatitis B or D, nor has it been shown to have any effect against fighting the viruses.

Three-part series; This is part one
What’s the Difference: Hepatitis B vs Hepatitis C?
Part two
What’s the Difference: Hepatitis A vs Hepatitis B
View all updates, here....
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ADRLF (Al D. Rodriguez Liver Foundation)
Al D. Rodriguez Liver Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides resources, education and information related to screening, the prevention of and treatment for the Hepatitis Virus and Liver Cancer. 
View all updates, here....
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HepatitisC.net
At HepatitisC.net we empower patients and caregivers to take control of Hepatitis C by providing a platform to learn, educate, and connect with peers and healthcare professionals.
Understanding Your Test Results: Liver Function Tests
If you have been diagnosed with hepatitis C, your healthcare provider may order regular blood tests to monitor your health...
View all updates, here....
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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Viral Hepatitis Blog
CDC, HRSA, & HHS gathered input about the next editions of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan a recent national conference. Also check out The US Department of Health & Human Services public health blog
View all news updates....
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KevinMD Blog
Kevin Pho is a practicing physician and most known for his blog KevinMD. Thousands of authors contribute to his blog: primary care doctors, surgeons, specialist physicians, nurses, medical students, policy experts. And of course, patients, who need the medical profession to hear their voices. 
If you are not in a high-risk category and feel the flu coming on, seeking treatment at an urgent care facility will not only help save you time and money, but it also keeps emergency rooms clear for those whose lives depend upon immediate treatment. Urgent cares also provide expert care for conditions such as colds, sore throats, ear infections, sprains, strains and more, often at lower costs and shorter wait times. 
View latest blog entry here...
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The goal of our publications is to bring people around the world the most current health information that is authoritative, trustworthy, and accessible, drawing on the expertise of the 10,000+ faculty physicians at Harvard Medical School.

The flu is different from the common cold, but it’s not always easy to tell them apart, especially at the beginning. The flu usually comes on suddenly, and its symptoms can include fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches,
feeling tired, and generally just feeling rotten.

One of the key questions that researchers in the field of neuropsychiatry are trying to answer is why some people are more vulnerable to addiction.
All articles here....
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University of Michigan - Lab Blog
Providing physicians with virtual access to specialists can be lifesaving to liver disease patients.

In most cases, moderate drinking — one drink a day for women, two drinks a day for men — will not lead to alcoholic liver disease (ALD) but overindulging can. And for those already suffering from liver disease — some of whom may not know it — even small amounts of alcohol can exacerbate their liver damage.

Kevin Joy 
The seasonal return of two unpleasant viruses offers a reminder for good hygiene and vigilance. Here’s how to stop the spread of flu and increase norovirus prevention.
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To improve the diagnosis, treatment & support of Americans with fatty liver, NAFLD or NASH through awareness, education, screening and patient advocacy.
What I Wish I Had Known Sooner
When we finally figured out what was really going on, I found myself looking back and lamenting “If only I had known.”. Wayne and I have put together a list of some of the things we wish we had known at the start of our journey, in the hopes that it may be helpful and valuable to you.

Message Boards:
Living with Fatty Liver or NASH is a community of the Fatty Liver Foundation dedicated to supporting individuals who have been diagnosed or are at-risk of developing Fatty Liver or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

On This Blog
Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) and Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD):
Current research & media articles available on this blog:
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Scope Blog
Scope is published by Stanford Medicine 
Stanford psychologist Ian Gotlib is examining how depression develops and working to identify potential opportunities for intervention.
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JAMA - Medical News & Perspectives
Are Probiotics Money Down the Toilet? Or Worse?
Jennifer Abbasi
JAMA.Published online January 30, 2019.
doi:10.1001/jama.2018.20798
With interest growing in natural therapies, the popularity of probiotics is on the rise. In 2012, almost 4 million US adults reported using probiotics or prebiotics—4 times more than in 2007. Probiotics were used in more than 50 000 hospitalizations in 139 US hospitals in 2012. And last year alone, US consumers spent an estimated $2.4 billion on the supplements.
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Comment and opinion from readers, authors, and editors.
Tim Spector: Breakfast—the most important meal of the day?
The mantra of breakfast being the most important meal of the day has been ingrained in most of us from an early age—from our mother’s mouth as we were late for school to government campaigns to get us to “go to work on an egg.” Over the past 50 years we have been bombarded with messages extolling the health benefits of various processed cereals and porridge oats. The British fry-up is thought by many to be the country’s main contribution to world cuisine.
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A new Consumer Reports study found that half of the fruit juices sold in the U.S. had elevated levels of arsenic, cadmium, and/or lead. Consumer Reports tested 45 drinks and found 21 contained enough of a single heavy metal or a combination of the metals to concern experts who worked with Consumer Reports on the study.

For the full list, including healthier alternatives, go to Consumer Reports' website.
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Cedars-Sinai Blog
Committed to helping you build a healthy lifestyle for you and your family.
Q&A: Rheumatoid Arthritis
We take for granted that our immune system is always looking out for us.
But in the case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—an autoimmune condition that affects over 1 million adults in the US—the body’s defense system turns on us.

What’s the difference between an NP and a doctor?
Many medical offices and hospitals offer care provided by nurse practitioners, commonly referred to as NPs. These highly trained medical professionals can provide many primary care services or be part of your specialty care team.

Check back for updates!
Tina
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Monday, April 23, 2018

HCV, type 2 diabetes & fatty liver disease - Importance of diet and exercise

Importance of diet and exercise 

This Michigander is announcing winter might just be over. I am so done walking on my ugly, hated, overrated treadmill, looking forward to moving my morning routine outside.

If you too are feeling a bit of spring fever, or preparing for a lifestyle change, check out the links provided below and learn about the importance of diet and exercise for people with HCV, type 2 diabetes or fatty liver disease.

On The Radio
To get you started we begin with Dr Norman Swan, the host of Health Report, along with his guest Professor Mike Lean, lead author in a study investigating the impact of weight loss on type 2 diabetes, published in the Lancet 10 February 2018; Primary care-led weight management for remission of type 2 diabetes (DiRECT): an open-label, cluster-randomised trial. The study found after a year, participants who lost weight (around 30 pounds) on a 800 calorie diet, no longer had type 2 diabetes. The diet may be too difficult or not recommended for some people, in the trial patients were followed closely, however, the outcome is amazing. The interview starts at 8:29, listen to the program, here, read the transcript below or visit Health Report.

Transcript
Norman Swan: There's good news, for once, from the west of Scotland where a trial in general practice of an extremely low calorie diet has reversed type 2 diabetes in a large percentage of participants. Mike Lean is Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Glasgow and is on the line. Welcome to the Health Report.

Mike Lean: Hello, how are you?

Norman Swan: Fine. You say in the paper that this is the first trial of its kind in type 2 diabetes, which is extraordinary.

Mike Lean: We've known about type 2 diabetes and thought of it as a distinct disease growing enormously in numbers and costing perhaps more than any other single disease for about 100 years, and it has been noted in a number of studies that some people if they lose enough weight will get rid of their diabetes. But no study has previously gone out to actually try and do that, to actually get as many people as possible to become non-diabetic, to get rid of their diabetes completely.

Norman Swan: So what did you do in this study?

Mike Lean: Well, this is not rocket science. What we did was we recruited people in primary care, in general practice, who were overweight, BMI over 27, so not enormously overweight but overweight, with type 2 diabetes. And we ask them to follow a formula diet, not a very low calorie but and 800-odd calorie diet for as long as it took, and it took quite a long time in some cases, to lose enough weight to become non-diabetic. And we aimed to get 15 kg weight loss because we knew from other observations that that was likely to do it. And of course not everybody managed, sadly, a lot of people found it really hard. A lot of people did manage. In the end we got about a quarter of our patients to lose that amount of weight. And those who lost 15 kg, almost 90% were no longer diabetic after a year, they were off all their medication, they were off all their diabetic medication and their antihypertensive medication, and they felt a lot better, their quality of life went up.

The remainder who didn't lose 15 kg, none of them got worse. Of those who lost over 10 kg, over half of them were non-diabetic. So you don't need to lose 15 kg but it's much better if you do. And I think what we've learnt from this is what we've regarded as a distinct disease, type 2 diabetes, is actually all part and parcel of obesity when you think about obesity as a disease process…

Norman Swan: We'll come back to the diet in a minute. And what was the recidivism rate, if you want to call it that, in terms of people gaining weight again and returning to diabetes?

Mike Lean: Yes, so that is of course…we've only published the one-year results and there's a lot more to find out. What we did find out was that the proportion of people with diabetes who wanted to have a go at this was very high. It was probably no great surprise because being diabetic is a penalty and it carries terrible medical risks as well as financial. The number within a year who put on any weight was really quite small, but we know very well from earlier studies that it's hard to maintain…the biggest problem is not losing the weight, it's actually maintaining it long term, and that's where our big research effort needs to go.

Norman Swan: So the diet itself…an 800 calorie diet is not something you try yourself at home because you can go into nutritional deficiency. This was a shakes and bars diet, wasn't it, it was a meal plan diet.

Mike Lean: That's correct, it was a formula diet which made sure it had all the vitamins and minerals, everything that was necessary, provided the patients actually followed this. And they didn't have to pay for it, they were given it for the study. And so they did that, so it was perfectly safe, there was no…

Norman Swan: That's my point, so it's one of these things you can buy in the chemist and it comes in various boxes, but we won't talk about the branding.

Mike Lean: The branding doesn't matter, all these things are pretty much the same. What matters is not what comes in the box or out of the packet, it's the support that is given with it, because people who go and get these type of diets from the chemist or from a supermarket generally do it for two or three or four weeks and then they peel off. If you are going to get rid of your diabetes you've got to stick in for probably 12 weeks if you do it full time. There are plenty of people who do it off and on for 12 weeks and need to carry on doing it off and on for a bit longer to lose their 10 or 15 kg. So there are different routes to getting there, you don't half to lose it all in one go but it works better if you do.

Norman Swan: What about complications, like if you lose weight fast when you are overweight you can get gallbladder disease…

Mike Lean: Ah, you're well informed!

Norman Swan: You can low blood sugar if you're on insulin, or diabetes complications. What sort of complications did people get?

Mike Lean: Well, the first thing was for this particular study we didn't include people who were already on insulin, partly because their likelihood of getting a remission is much lower. It had probably done damage to their pancreas by that stage. And what we did on day one was that we stopped all our anti-diabetes medication, so there's no risk of hypoglycaemia at all, and nobody had hypoglycaemia. And the same thing went for the blood pressure tablets, we stopped all their blood pressure tablets on day one because otherwise if you lose weight there is a risk of possible hypotension, and just to pick up your other point, there was one patient amongst the 150 who started, one who developed abdominal pains and we think that was probably by gallstones. That's a common complication of obesity, very common in people with diabetes anyway, and it can be made worse during weight loss.

Norman Swan: These are similar findings to bariatric surgery.

Mike Lean: Oddly the remission rate was actually a tiny bit better than bariatric surgery if you can lose 15 kg. If you lose 15 kg you will almost certainly get rid of your diabetes, whether or not it's done with surgery. There are of course many fewer hazards doing it without surgery. They produce very similar results, yes.

Norman Swan: Mike, thanks very much for joining us, a fascinating study.

Mike Lean: Thank you very much.

Norman Swan: Mike Lean is Professor of Human Nutrition at the University of Glasgow.

Fatty Liver Disease & Type 2 Diabetes 
"Given the increasing worldwide incidence of obesity and metabolic syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common cause of chronic liver disease. Recent developments in the field have shown that NAFLD not only is a “liver disease” but also is the underlying cause of an increasing number of extrahepatic manifestations; thus, it should be treated as a multisystem disease. NAFLD is most prominently linked to chronic kidney disease, mellitus type 2 and cardiovascular disease, as well as a number of other severe chronic diseases. These findings demonstrate that NAFLD ranks amongst the most serious public health problems of our time."

Also noted in the article; The prevalence of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), in people who are obese and have type 2 diabetes may be as high as 40%, whereas it is less than 5% in people without type 2 diabetes.
Read the article, here.

Presented at Liver Congress 2018
Alcoholic liver disease replaces hepatitis C infection as leading cause of liver transplantation in patients without hepatocellular carcinoma in the USA
Two independent studies presented at the conference reported; that alcoholic liver disease has now replaced hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection as the leading cause of liver transplantation in the USA in patients without HCC. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is also on the increase, now ranking second as a cause of liver transplantation due to chronic liver disease.
Read the article, here.

Hepatitis C & Diabetes
Several studies have demonstrated the risk for development of diabetes is increased in people with chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV), for instance people with HCV have a 2.3 fold increased chance of having type 2 diabetes. According to a 2013 study published in Alimentary Pharmacology Therapeutics; Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is independently associated with presence of metabolic conditions (insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension) and congestive heart failure.

HCV Treatment & Type 2 Diabetes
The good news is with today's high sustained viral response rates using direct antiviral medications to treat HCV, people who successfully reach SVR, or achieve a cure, lower their risk for the development of type 2 diabetes, the recent study was published in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis [published online February 25, 2018]. A quick overview of the study can be found online, here.

Fatty liver is very common in hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients post-SVR
This particular study may be of interest to people with HCV, according to data published Mar 21, 2018 in the online journal World J Gastroenterology, evidence of steatosis was reported to be found in close to half of patients who achieve a sustained virologic response after treating with direct-acting antivirals. Full-text, here....

Tips - Eating Right
Eating better tied to lower risk of liver disease
April 27, 2018
(Reuters Health) - People who make an effort to improve their diet may be more likely to have less fat in their livers and a lower risk of liver disease than individuals who stick to unhealthy eating habits, a U.S. study suggests.

The Liver Loving Diet
"The Liver Loving Diet" is a book that will help you learn to eat well during all phases of liver disease. Karen Hoyt, the author, also blogs about living with and treating hepatitis C, cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure.

Mediterranean diet reduces liver fat, risk for NAFLD
March 30, 2018
Improved diet quality based on the Mediterranean-style diet score and Alternative Healthy Eating Index score correlated with less liver fat accumulation and a reduced risk for new-onset nonalcoholic fatty liver, according to a recently published study.
Continue reading @ Healio

Bottom Line
Spring is a great time to start again, experts agree two key elements in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes and fatty liver disease is weight loss and exercise. In the end, its all good for your liver!

See you soon,
Tina
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Sunday, January 28, 2018

HCV Updates & A Look At The Most Intense Flu Season In Years

Welcome, sit back and catch up on notable research articles and blog updates on the topic of viral hepatitis. However, we begin with updates on this year's flu season, with experts reporting it's the worst in nearly a decade. 

A Look At The Most Intense Flu Season In Years


CDC
Keep up with the latest flu news as it is posted on the CDC's website.

Transcript for CDC Update on Widespread Flu Activity
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
We called this briefing to get you the latest FluView numbers and to provide advice on preventing the flu and information about what people can do to reduce the risk of flu or serious illness.
Listen here

 The American Council on Science and Health
This Year's Flu Is Different - It Kills In Two Ways
Jan 29, 2018
It is the 100th anniversary of the 1918 Spanish flu (1,2) pandemic, and the date is not the only similarity between the two. While it is impossible that the morbidity and mortality that is being caused by this year's H3N2 strain (3) will even approach that of the monster that infected 5% of the world, killing 2% of it, there is one troubling feature that this year's strain shares with its centennial cousin. Flu typically kills because of secondary infections, usually pneumonia. While both "18s" do this, they also kill people directly. This is the scary part. The latter is mercifully rare but it dominates the news. Children seem to be more susceptible rapid deaths. Cases have been recently reported in Florida, California, and Connecticut. And it may be growing, especially as new strains emerge (4). The cause of fast deaths is very different from that normally seen in flu death. It is more insidious, harder to prevent and can nothing can be done about it. One hundred years ago there were reports of people dying within hours of becoming ill.

Journal: New England Journal Of Medicine
January 25, 2018
J.C. Kwong and Others
Patients who had a positive laboratory test for influenza were six times as likely to be hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction during the 7 days after specimen collection (the “risk interval”) as during the year before and the year after the risk interval.

NPR
Rob Stein
The flu is hitting the 65-and-over age group hardest, but the next-hardest hit is the 50-to-64 age group. Usually, children are the second-hardest hit. The reason is unclear. Jernigan says it may be because the strains of the flu to which baby boomers were exposed when they were young are different from the strains circulating this year, so they have less immunity.

Healio
CDC: Flu hospitalizations, deaths high; vaccination still urged
January 26, 2018
Influenza-related deaths this season have remained elevated for weeks, and hospitalization rates are comparable to the severe 2014-2015 influenza…

American Thinker
January 28, 2018
By Rick Moran
“We often see different parts of the country light up at different times, but for the past three weeks the entire country has been experiencing lots of flu, all at the same time,” he said, adding: “We have several weeks to go.”

NBC News
Virus looks like flu, acts like flu, but it's not influenza
by Maggie Fox
Jan.28.2018
There’s another virus out there that could be adding to the seasonal misery, but it’s not being identified. The virus is called adenovirus, and it can cause very severe flu-like symptoms. It’s so risky that the U.S. military vaccinates recruits against two major strains.

In The News
England could become first country to eradicate Hepatitis C in 2025
Jan 29, 2018
NHS leaders today called on the pharmaceutical industry to work with them to provide best value for money for treatments so that in its 70th year, the NHS can commit to eliminating Hepatitis C in England at least five years earlier than the World Health Organisation goal of 2030.

HepCBC
Read today's news or check out the latest issue of Weekly Bull.

CDEC Recommends MAVIRET™ and VOSEVI™ for Reimbursement for Chronic HCV
January 27, 2018
On January 25, 2018 the federal CADTH Canadian Drug Expert Committee (CDEC) released its extensive reviews of two new "pan-genotypic" hepatitis C treatments: Maviret™ (AbbVie) and Vosevi™ (Gilead). In both cases, the drugs were recommended for reimbursement by provincial PharmaCares for "adult patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 infection with or without compensated cirrhosis." And, for both, reimburseme...

New Online
Medscape: CME Video
Treating Genotype 1-6
HCV Treatment: Incorporating Glecaprevir/Pibrentasvir and sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir/Voxilaprevir Into Clinical Practice
This 15-minute activity features a brief video introduction by faculty expert Dr. Muir in which he discusses how the new combination therapies glecaprevir/pibrentasvir and sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir have changed the treatment landscape. The activity then continues with a text-based review of the recent advances in direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the clinical trials that led to the approval of these new agents.
Free registration is required 

Journal Updates
Journal: Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Hepatitis C virus re-treatment in the era of direct-acting antivirals: projections in the USA
The introduction of oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) has dramatically changed the landscape of HCV treatment. However, a small percentage of patients fail to achieve sustained virologic response (SVR). Understanding the number of people who fail on DAAs and require re-treatment is important for budget impact and disease burden projections.

Journal: World Journal of Gastroenterology                   
This review addresses general aspects of vitamin D deficiency and, in particular, the significance of vitamin D hypovitaminosis in the outcome of HBV- and HCV-related chronic liver diseases. Furthermore, current literature was reviewed in order to understand the effects of vitamin D supplementation in combination with IFN-based therapy on the virological response in HBV and HCV infected patients.

Journal: World Journal of Hepatology
Efficacy of direct-acting antiviral treatment for chronic hepatitis C: A single hospital experience
Direct-acting antivirals have been approved for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 and 2 infections in Japan since 2011. In the new era of DAA therapy, predictors who fail to respond to DAA might be compromised by resistance-associated substitutions. There have been few reports of daclatasvir/asunaprevir failure because daclatasvir/asunaprevir is limited in Japan. Therefore, it might be important to report these cases for future research and treatment of HCV.

The following articles downloaded and shared by @HenryEChang via Twitter

Journal: Liver International
NVHR and the Center for Health Law Policy and Innovation at Harvard Law co-hosted this webinar on highlights from the "Hepatitis C: State of Medicaid Access" report, including methodology and key findings.

Contagion Live
Hepatitis C-Related Hospitalizations Rise By Almost 50%
EINAV KEET
The new report found that the number of inpatient hospital stays for patients seeking treatment solely for hepatitis C rose by nearly 49% from 2005 to 2014. In addition, hospital stays for hepatitis C patients also seeking treatment for hepatitis B, HIV, or alcoholic liver disease rose by about 11%. Overall, adults ages 52 to 72 years saw a more than 67% increase in hepatitis C-related hospitalizations –the most of any age group –while those ages 18 to 51 years saw a nearly 15% decrease in hospitalizations. Hospital stays involving hepatitis C were also longer, more expensive, and more likely to result in death than stays that did not involve hepatitis C.

HEPATITISC.NET
By Kimberly Morgan Bossley - January 26, 2018
After curing hep C in 2014 many things changed in my life. I sold off half of my company and took the other with me and put in my home. After bringing the...

Getting Dumped with Hepatitis C 
By Karen Hoyt - January 25, 2018
After years of living with hepatitis C, I was very sick. My husband gave up on my low-energy self. He was about done with having a brain foggy wife. Within months of...

By Daryl Luster - January 24, 2018
It has become evident to me that there are people who are treating their hep C with drugs that they purchase from countries where generic drugs are produced. These drugs are produced... 

HEP Blog
The Fire and Fury of Hep C 
January 26, 2018 
Growing up with Hep C colors the world very differently. Because I knew early, I avoided alcohol from the get-go. I’d like to think it allowed my liver to keep going to thirty. My biggest fear wasn’t dying, but accidentally infecting someone else. Over time I found my paranoia getting the better of me. I abhorred physical contact, because it added to the layered stress of social interaction. Having notified the school of my condition I was kept out of PE. I wasn’t shy about the topic, and the stigma merely fueled my rebellious teenage self. I clung to that rage, it felt justified, but often when we’re young we misidentify the real emotions at play.

By Karen Hoyt
A glimpse at an easily overlooked tool for healing.

Hepatitis C Reactivation: What It Is and What It Isn’t 
By Lucinda K. Porter, RN
Hepatitis C reactivation may occur in people receiving cancer treatment. However, hep C reactivation may not mean what you think it does.

By Greg Jefferys
In Ireland, the rate of Hepatitis C infection is one of the highest in the EU at about twice the international average.
Jennifer Variste, MD
January 27, 2018 
So you heard the flu shot is 10 percent effective. With so many sources of information available, the primary care provider’s role increasingly becomes that of educator. It is important to me that the parents of my patients make informed decisions, so when I have a parent decline the influenza vaccine, I make an effort to ask why. The number one response I hear has been “What’s the point? The flu ...

Hepatitis B Foundation
Timothy Block, PhD
Welcome to Journey to the Cure. This is a web series that chronicles the progress at the Hepatitis B Foundation and Baruch S. Blumberg Institute towards finding the cure for hepatitis B.

Healthy You
Why herbal supplements taken with prescription drugs may be risky



 Recommended Reading
Herbal Supplements May Be Dangerous When You Take Certain Prescription Drugs
By Amanda MacMillan
January 24, 2018 
A number of common herbal supplements, including green tea and Ginkgo biloba, can interact with prescription medications, according to a new research review published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. These interactions can make drugs less effective—and may even be dangerous or deadly. 
The new review analyzed 49 case reports of adverse drug reactions, along with two observational studies. Most people in the analysis were being treated for heart disease, cancer or kidney transplants, and were taking warfarin, statins, chemotherapy drugs or immunosuppressants. Some also had depression, anxiety or neurological disorders, and were being treated with antidepressant, antipsychotic or anticonvulsant medications.
Continue reading: http://time.com/5116664/are-herbal-supplements-safe/

Medical News Today
What to eat if you have hepatitis C
Last reviewed Thu 25 January 2018
By Tom Seymour
Reviewed by Natalie Olsen, RD, LD, ACSM EP-C
Hepatitis C can damage the liver and lead to cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver. Damage to the liver may mean that a person needs to modify their diet.

May we all remain healthy this flu season.
Tina
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Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Living With HCV Or Chronic Liver Disease? Updated Videos From Advocate Karen Hoyt

Sometimes it's nice to have a place to call your own, a place that feels very much like home. Karen Hoyt has created such a place some six years ago, a safe haven with a candid look at liver disease from a patients prospective, called: I Help C.

Karen shares her own journey living with cirrhosis and liver cancer, to the emotional ups and downs of her lifesaving liver transplant. If you haven't found Karen yet, she is a master at providing patient-friendly diet and lifestyle tips for liver disease patients, filling a much needed void for people living with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) and fatty liver disease.

While we have effective drugs to cure HCV, in little as twelve to eight weeks, across all six HCV genotypes, including treatment options for people with severe liver damage, such as compensated cirrhosis, not everyone - was or is - diagnosed with HCV before serious liver damage occurs. According to a study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and presented at CROI 2015, a substantial number of baby boomers are living with advanced liver disease. In data collected between 2010-2013, researchers reported in 2013, close to half of people born during 1945-1965 had severe fibrosis or cirrhosis. In addition, in a prospective study presented at this months Liver Meeting, close to half of people with hepatitis C, who achieved SVR (cure), were found to have fatty liver disease. The article was recently published over at Medscape.

Karen's Been Busy 
A series of  new videos is now available on Karen's YouTube channel. You'll find each video informative; from haircare tips to serious topics such as ascites, hepatic encephalopathy and other liver-related complications. Not that haircare isn't a serious topic, nuff said!

To help guide you through a well-balanced diet, which is essential to help fight or curtail liver damage, Karen published: The Liver Loving Diet. The book is a labor of love, a huge undertaking for someone dealing with Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE), a serious disorder that can happen without warning if you have advanced liver disease, causing confusion, brain fatigue (brain fog) and problems with hand movements, making concentration and typing difficult. Get to know Karen better by reading an excerpt from her book: Emergency Room Diagnosis with Liver Cirrhosis.

In this uncertain world, there are few people who help others without expecting something in return. In her own modest way, with an open heart, Karen is determined to improve the lives of people struggling with liver disease, an act of kindness that does not go unnoticed.
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Wednesday, June 28, 2017

The Liver - Super Foods & Supplements

Liver Super Foods



Published on May 30, 2017
 Source - American Liver Foundation Great Lakes Division



In The News
Go Easy on the Avocado Toast: ‘Good Fat’ Can Still Be Bad for You, Research Shows
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Friday, February 24, 2017

The Liver Loving Diet - A Must Read For People With HCV Or Liver Disease

The Liver Loving Diet

My admiration runs deep for a small group of bloggers who spend hours in front of a computer helping those suffering with HCV. What they accomplish is astounding, why do they do it?

So that no one with this disease ever feels alone.

HCV is a progressive liver disease that can be cured, although cirrhosis is usually irreversible and can potentially lead to life threating complications.

Karen Hoyt understands this only to well, she is devoted to offering support and accurate information to people coping with the effects of liver disease. Karen writes from a patients' perspective about living with and treating hepatitis C, cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure on her blog, "Your Best Friends Guide To Hepatitis C."

This compassionate author, HCV advocate, and survivor, once again is doing what she does best, keeping us informed and full of hope. Karen has recently announced her new book, "The Liver Loving Diet" is available to enjoy, a book that will help you learn to eat well during all phases of liver disease. For the cost of a few cups of liver friendly coffee - this book can be yours.

Purchase is now available through PayPal, click here to learn more.

From Karen

Low Sodium, Healthy Protein Plan
After my diagnosis with Hepatitis C and liver failure, I got busy putting together a low sodium, healthy protein plan for eating.

Here at Your Best Friends Guide, you all have blown me away with requests for an easy menu plan. I love the emails pouring in from you all sitting in hospitals, grocery stores, and at home. You’ve begged for recipes. Well, it’s taken some time (2 years), but I heard you and here it is!

Drumroll please….

The Liver Loving Diet Book is a big picture peek at liver disease that helps you understand how valuable it is to eat well during treatments, cures, setbacks, cancer, and transplant. My diet played a huge role in keeping me alive and active. Now I’m handing all that power to you in one tidy package – tied up with love and priced at $4.99. I worked extra hard to give you a simple book with over 300 pages of personal stories and recipes.

Visit Karen on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. 
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Thursday, August 11, 2016

Watch - Is There a Special Diet for Liver Disease Patients?

Is There a Special Diet for Liver Disease Patients?
by Dr. Joe Galati on 08/10/2016

Probably the most common question I am asked, is regarding a special diet to follow if you have liver problems. Here is an updated answer to these questions.
Continue reading...




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Friday, February 14, 2014

Cirrhosis, Heart Disease And Salt Substitutes

Cirrhosis, Heart Disease And Salt Substitutes

When suffering from a serious heart or liver condition it's likely your healthcare provider will  recommended a low salt diet.

Adjusting to a new diet that involves controlling sodium intake is difficult for anyone, especially for my eighty year old, five foot, salt loving momma.

After momma was diagnosed with a serious heart condition her children came together to devise a master plan to confiscate the beloved salt shaker - it wasn't pretty.

Salt to my mother is what Kanye West is to Kim Kardashian, she knew it was bad for her, but she wanted it anyhow. Sorry, that wasn't very nice mom, you were seventy nine and five foot one.

In any event, my poor momma had no choice but to follow a boring, no taste, low salt diet. In her case the new diet was advised to control fluid retention, which is often the case for people suffering with cirrhosis.

When I asked about salt substitutes to calm my mother and elevate my guilt, the cardiologist recommended against them. At the time I didn't completely understand why, recently after reading an article online at Berkeley Wellness, I learned it was because they contain potassium chloride which can interact with ACE inhibitors, or her heart medications; captopril, lisinopril, benazepril and potassium-sparing diuretics. My mother was on most of those medications, the diuretics were adjusted by me weekly and yes they were potassium-sparing.

According to the article, salt substitutes such as Morton Salt Substitute, NoSalt and Nu-Salt all consist of potassium chloride. Watch out for “Lite” or “low-sodium” salts such as LoSalt and Morton Lite Salt they are a blend of both sodium chloride and potassium chloride. These products can also be dangerous for people with chronic kidney disease.

The University Of Michigan Health System, also warns patients with cirrhosis on a low salt diet against using “salt substitutes” because again, they contain too much potassium. So what about “sea salt,” nope, it has the same amount of sodium as table salt. So what can you use for a substitute? The hospital recommends “Mrs. Dash” or other spices.

Download; Liver Cirrhosis - A Toolkit For Patients
An excerpt from the pamphlet;




The bottom line is avoid salt substitutes if you are controlling sodium intake due to cirrhosis, heart conditions, have kidney disease or on certain medications.

Stay healthy, until next time.
Tina

Credit
Painting - No! I Want it Now!
See more works by Dakota Solt 

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