Treating chronic hepatitis B
Learn about your options for chronic hepatitis B treatment
Right now, there is no cure for chronic hepatitis B, but there are several treatments that can reduce the amount of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the body, which may give your liver a chance to improve.
Your doctor will base the decision to begin a chronic hepatitis B treatment upon the results of tests that show the amount of hepatitis B virus in your blood (often called viral load), the amount of liver inflammation (as measured by ALT), and degree of liver damage (as seen through a liver biopsy).
Your doctor may begin chronic hepatitis B treatment if you have signs of liver damage. Or, your doctor may decide to begin treatment if your test results show both of the following for more than 6 months:
- An elevated viral load
- Elevated ALT levels
Your age and health as well as the benefits and risks of treatment will also be factors in any chronic hepatitis B treatment decision. Your doctor will decide if you need treatment—and if so, what treatment is best for you. Not everyone who has chronic hepatitis B needs to be on treatment.
Chronic hepatitis B treatment options include:
- Oral medicine: A chronic hepatitis B treatment that you take by mouth.
Read more about BARACLUDE® (entecavir)—a once-daily chronic hepatitis B treatment that may improve the condition of your liver.
- Injection: A chronic hepatitis B treatment that is injected through a needle.
Before you and your doctor decide on a chronic hepatitis B treatment
If treatment is recommended, ask your doctor to explain:
- Why he or she is prescribing a chronic hepatitis B treatment.
- The pros and cons of the treatment option he or she is prescribing.
- The importance of taking your medicine exactly as prescribed.
- Any impact chronic hepatitis B treatment may have on your life. If you are a woman and you are thinking of having children, ask your doctor to discuss chronic hepatitis B treatment and pregnancy.