What is entecavir used to treat?
What is entecavir used to treat?
Entecavir is used to treat liver infection caused by hepatitis B virus. It belongs to the family of medicines called antivirals. Antivirals are used to treat infections that are caused by viruses. This medicine will not cure the hepatitis B virus, but it will keep it from reproducing and causing more liver damage.
How long should you take entecavir?
A standard dose is 0.5 mg once daily for one year. The dose is doubled for people who have persistent hepatitis viremia (the presence of virus in the blood) while taking lamivudine or have lamivudine resistance. It’s recommended to take entecavir on an empty stomach, two hours before or after a meal.
Can you drink alcohol while on entecavir?
However, it is likely you will be advised not to drink alcohol. Alcohol will increase the risk and speed of you developing liver damage. Medicines similar to entecavir have been associated with a serious side-effect in a few people. This is known as lactic acidosis.
Can entecavir reverse cirrhosis?
Long-term entecavir therapy results in the reversal of fibrosis/cirrhosis and continued histological improvement in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Hepatology.
Can entecavir cure hep B?
Entecavir is in a class of medications called nucleoside analogs. It works by decreasing the amount of hepatitis B virus (HBV) in the body. Entecavir does not cure HBV and may not prevent complications of chronic hepatitis B such as cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.
Can hepatitis B disappear?
There’s no cure for hepatitis B. The good news is it usually goes away by itself in 4 to 8 weeks. More than 9 out of 10 adults who get hepatitis B totally recover. However, about 1 in 20 people who get hepatitis B as adults become “carriers,” which means they have a chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis B infection.
