Pharmacy Clinical Pearl of the Day: Hepatitis B

Clinical Pearl of the Day: Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Insight:

• For some people, HBV infection becomes chronic, meaning it lasts more than 6 months.
• Having chronic HBV increases the risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer, or cirrhosis—a condition that permanently scars of the liver.
• A vaccine can prevent HBV, but there's no cure for those with the condition.
• Symptoms may include abdominal pain, dark urine, fever, joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weakness, and fatigue.
• Causes of HBV could be sexual contact, sharing of needles, accidental needle sticks, and transition from mother to child.
• Risk factors may include having unprotected sex, sharing needles during intravenous drug use, same gender sex, infant born to an infected mother, and environmental exposures.
• Diagnosis may include blood test, liver ultrasound, and liver biopsy.
• Treatment may include an injection of immunoglobulin (an antibody) given within 12 hours of exposure to the virus, which may help protect patients from getting sick with HBV.
  • Other treatments may include antiviral medications such as entecavir (Baraclude), tenofovir (Viread), lamivudine (Epivir), adefovir (Hepsera) and telbivudine (Tyzeka). Interferon alfa-2b can also be used for treatment of this infection. Liver transplant may be an option as well for cases in which the liver has been severely damaged by the infection.

Sources:

• Hepatitis B - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic
• hepatitis b - Google Search