Do you know the treatment for hepatitis B? Let me tell you

Among many infectious diseases, hepatitis B is the most well-known. Many people have received the vaccine when they were young. However, there are also people who have not been vaccinated and are infected with hepatitis B. So how should we treat it once we are infected with hepatitis B? The following will explain in detail.

1. What is Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The virus is transmitted through blood, body fluids, sexual transmission, shared syringes or needles, and mother-to-child transmission. Hepatitis B can cause acute or chronic infection, and its severity varies from person to person.

2. The harm of hepatitis B

(1) Liver damage: Hepatitis B virus infection can cause an inflammatory response in the liver. Long-term inflammation leads to damage to liver tissue and eventually causes abnormal liver function. Chronic infected people gradually develop symptoms of liver damage, such as fatigue, loss of appetite, and jaundice.

(2) Cirrhosis: Chronic hepatitis B can lead to cirrhosis, which is the proliferation of connective tissue in the liver and the destruction of liver structure, eventually leading to loss of liver function. Cirrhosis manifests as serious complications such as ascites and hepatic encephalopathy, which seriously affect the patient's quality of life.

(3) Liver cancer: Chronic hepatitis B is one of the main risk factors for liver cancer. Chronic infected people are at a much higher risk of liver cancer than uninfected people. Liver cancer is a malignant tumor that is already in the late stage when discovered, making it difficult to treat and having a poor prognosis.

(4) Transmission hazard: Hepatitis B virus can be transmitted through blood, body fluids, and other channels, including sexual transmission, mother-to-child transmission, and shared syringes. Therefore, if patients do not take effective preventive measures, they may spread the virus to others, increasing the risk of infection.

3. Treatment of hepatitis B

(1) For most patients with acute hepatitis B, no special treatment is usually needed. Their immune systems are usually able to clear the virus and they recover within weeks or months. Treatment is mainly supportive treatment of symptoms, such as rest, dietary adjustments, and maintaining adequate water intake.

(2) In some cases, especially for patients with severe symptoms or comorbidities, hospitalization and treatment such as intravenous infusion and nutritional support are required.

(3) The treatment of chronic hepatitis B mainly includes antiviral treatment and other supportive treatments.

Antiviral treatment is to inhibit the replication of hepatitis B virus, reduce liver damage and delay the progression of the disease by using antiviral drugs. Commonly used antiviral drugs include adefovir, telbivudine, entecavir, tenofovir, etc.

(4) In addition to antiviral treatment, regular liver function monitoring, ultrasound examinations, and blood tests are also required to evaluate the progression of the disease and the effectiveness of treatment. Patients also need to follow a healthy lifestyle, such as quitting alcohol, avoiding drugs, and maintaining good eating habits, to reduce the burden on the liver and improve the effectiveness of treatment.

(5) For patients with chronic hepatitis B combined with cirrhosis or liver cancer, treatment will be more complicated and require a comprehensive treatment plan, such as liver transplantation, radiofrequency ablation, chemotherapy, etc.

4. How to prevent hepatitis B

(1) Vaccination: Hepatitis B vaccine is one of the most effective ways to prevent hepatitis B. Vaccination with hepatitis B vaccine can trigger the body to produce an immune response, thereby providing long-term protection. Usually, hepatitis B vaccine is divided into three or four doses, and long-lasting immunity can be obtained after vaccination.

(2) Take safety measures: Avoid sharing needles, syringes and syringes, and ensure that the syringes used are single-use. Use condoms during sexual intercourse to reduce the risk of sexual transmission. Avoid contact with the blood or body fluids of infected people, especially contact with open wounds or mucous membranes.

(3) Regular health check-ups: Regular screening for hepatitis B virus is an important preventive measure for people who are exposed to the hepatitis B virus, such as medical staff, drug injectors, and sexual partners. Early detection of infection helps to take appropriate treatment and control transmission.

5. Summary

Patients should receive treatment according to their doctor's advice and have regular follow-up visits to monitor their condition. For patients with chronic hepatitis B, long-term treatment and monitoring are necessary to reduce the risk of serious complications such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Author: Yang Yongqiong Santai County People's Hospital