Hepatitis C By rebecca baron

What is it? Hepatitis C is a disease caused by a virus that infects the liver

Symptoms Most people have no symptoms when they are first infected For that reason, from the 2.7-3.9 million Americans living with viral HCV, as many as 75% are unaware that they are infected.

Symptoms Fatigue Belly pain Fever Itchy skin Nausea or poor appetite Sore muscles Dark urine Tenderness of area around the liver Yellowish eyes and skin (jaundice) Joint pain

Symptom checker (1) Fever Fatigue Sore muscles Yellowing eyes and skin Tender Liver area Abdominal pain Itchy skin Dark Urine Joint pain The patient will click on the symptoms that apply and the words will turn red. This will allow the patient to track symptoms on a daily basis, or even to see the effects that Hep C has on his/her life at the beginning of the treatment.

Symptom checker (2) Itchy Skin Sore Muscles Stomach pain Jaundice Joint pain Dark Urine Tiredness Another option is to have the pictures in a tile setting with a box for the patient to check off his or her symptoms. These symptoms will then be registered in the database. Symptom checker (2)

How is it spread? Spread from person to person when the blood of someone infected with the virus mixes with the blood of someone else

Causes Blood transfusions and organ transplants before 1992 Shared needles Childbirth Sexual contact

Risk factors Risk factors do not mean that you have Hepatitis C, but do indicate a greater risk of infection If you have one or more of the symptoms, you should get tested

Donated blood Before 1992, donated blood products and blood could not be tested for Hepatitis C Some people where accidentally infected after surgeries and other medical procedures

Baby boomers Born 1946-1964 Could’ve been exposed to HCV when infection rates were higher in 70s and 80s

Drug use Infected by sharing tools to take drugs Previously used: needles, syringes, cotton, water, or cocaine straws

Sex Rough, or anal sex without a condom Any activity with blood to blood contact is a risk factor

Tools Sharing tattoo, piercing, or acupuncture needles Manicure and pedicure tools Those working in a medical setting may be cut and exposed to the virus Must be cleaned and disinfected

Others Received hemodialysis treatments for a long period of time Received clotting factor concentrates before 1987 Have HIV

Causes

Sometimes, the body clears the virus on its own If it cannot, it will go into the Chronic phase of infection A serious condition that can lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer

Complications Scarring of the liver tissue (cirrhosis) Liver Cancer After 20-30 years of Hep C infection Liver Cancer Liver Failure

The liver

Functions of the liver Manufacturing blood proteins that aid in clotting, oxygen transport, and immune system function Storing excess nutrients and returning some of the nutrients to the bloodstream Manufacturing bile, a substance needed to help digest food

Helping the body store sugar (glucose) in the form of glycogen Ridding the body of harmful substances in the bloodstream, including drugs and alcohol Breaking down saturated fat and producing cholesterol

What is cirrhosis? A slowly progressing disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue, eventually preventing the liver from functioning properly

Implications The scar tissue blocks the flow of blood through the liver and slows the processing of nutrients, hormones, drugs, and naturally produced toxins

Comparison

Healthy liver vs liver with cirrhosis

Symptoms of cirrhosis Red palms due to expanded vessels Spider veins near the chest, shoulders, and face Swelling of the belly, legs, and feet Shrinking of the muscles Bleeding from enlarged veins in your digestive system

Cirrhosis symptoms

Swollen and itchy hands

Swelling in the abdomen

Liver cancer Cancer that begins in the cells of the liver One of the most common forms of cancer in the world

Liver cancer

Symptoms Weight loss Loss of appetite Upper abdominal pain Nausea and vomiting General weakness and fatigue An enlarged liver Abdominal swelling Jaundice White, chalky stools

Liver cancer symptoms

Liver failure Occurs when large parts of the liver become damaged beyond repair and the liver is no longer able to function life-threatening

How can hcV be diagnosed? Blood tests help to: Determine whether you have HCV Measure the quantity of HepC in your blood (viral load) Evaluate the genetic makeup of the virus (genotyping), which helps determine treatment options

A liver biopsy can help determine the severity of the disease and guide treatment decisions. During the biopsy, a needle is injected through your skin, into your liver, and a tissue sample is removed.

No treatment for acute HCV Treatment isn’t always necessary if you only have slight liver abnormalities, you may not need treatment, because your risk of future liver problems is very low.

Treatment for Chronic HCV Combination antiviral therapy Liver transplant Vaccinations to protect against other forms of viral hepatitis

Antiviral medications Peginterferon and ribivirin are combined to give the best response to treatment. A protease inhibitor (such as boceprevir or telaprevir) may be given alongside these meidcations.

Peginterferon is given as a shot once a week. Ribavirin is taken as a pill 2 times a day.

APP: Treatment scrolling Treatment Option For the treatments, I would like to have a rotating wheel where the patient can click on the option they prefer, then see the procedure, length of treatment, side effects, etc. With this option, the patient can navigate from left to right to find the best solution for him/her. However, the app recommendation will be highlighted in green.

The length of the treatment depends on what hepatitis C genotype you have. Genotype 1: 1 year Genotype 2/3: 6 months

Liver transplant The surgeon removes your damaged liver and replaces it with a healthy liver Most transplants come from deceased donors This is not a cure Antiviral treatment often follows

Lifestyle remedies Stop drinking alcohol Avoid medications that cause liver damage Stay healthy Help prevent others from coming in contact with your blood

Milk thistle: alternative medicine May treat jaundice and other liver disorders Taken as a capsule, extract, or infusion

Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z l_kw8qHGTI