Getting Real About Hepatitis C Prognosis
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Despite all of the progress made by the scientific community, there is no formula defining lifespan with the Hepatitis C virus. We know that millions of people live with the chronic version of this disease, but the variables that determine who stays well, who gets sick and who dies from Hepatitis C are not fully understood. Before even assessing where someone stands with these variables, the overall prognosis of living with chronic Hepatitis C should brighten anyone’s perspective on their potential longevity.
Relevant Statistics
A blood-borne, viral infection of the liver, Hepatitis C can be acute or chronic. Those who only get acute Hepatitis C have an immune system able to completely destroy the virus. For those whose immune systems are not able to accomplish this feat, a potentially lifelong illness of chronic Hepatitis C could be in store. Ten relevant chronic Hepatitis C statistics are described below:
- Of those infected with Hepatitis C, about 85 percent end up with the chronic version of this viral illness.
- Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne infection in the U.S.
- Worldwide, experts estimate that 300 million people have chronic Hepatitis C.
- In the U.S., approximately 4 million people have chronic Hepatitis C.
- Around 75 percent of Americans with chronic Hepatitis C are unaware of their condition.
- One of every 33 baby boomers (those born between 1945 and 1965) are living with Hepatitis C infection.
- According to predictions by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, deaths due to Hepatitis C will double or triple in the next 15 to 20 years.
- Chronic liver disease is the 10th leading cause of death among adults in the U.S., causing approximately 25,000 deaths annually.
- About 40 percent of deaths from chronic liver disease can be attributed to Hepatitis C infection.
- In the U.S., approximately 8,000 to 10,000 people die annually from chronic liver disease caused by Hepatitis C.
Not So Lethal
The ‘death’ statistics are certainly scary, but they don’t portray an accurate Hepatitis C prognosis. The prevalence of chronic Hepatitis C in our society is staggering, especially considering three-quarters of those with the virus don’t know they are infected. However, a careful review of the numbers of people with the virus compared to the number of people who die from the virus puts the lethality of this infection in perspective. In truth, many more people will die with chronic Hepatitis C than die from it.
Two studies described below demonstrate this perspective:
- In a 2009 study published in the Journal of Viral Hepatology, Swiss researchers investigated the cause of death of those with Hepatitis C compared to the general population. After following 1,645 Hepatitis C-infected patients for an average of two years, they determined that:
- as long as liver disease has not progressed to cirrhosis, those with Hepatitis C are not at any additional risk of death.
- if alcohol is avoided, those with Hepatitis C are not at any additional risk of death.
Based on this research, a diagnosis of Hepatitis C is more akin to a warning to abstain from alcohol and make other lifestyle changes to prevent cirrhosis.
- In a 2011 study published in the Journal of Hepatology, Australian researchers analyzed specific causes of death among people with chronic Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. Upon looking at the medical records of over 128,000 people, Scott Walter and colleagues found that Hepatitis C is not as deadly as previously thought. They found that 72 percent of the deaths in people with Hepatitis C were from a drug overdose or suicide – not advanced liver disease.
Stabilization
The stabilization of chronic Hepatitis C, as opposed to the escalation of liver disease, is the predominant determiner of an infected person’s prognosis. Getting tested and diagnosed is the single most important step towards Hepatitis C stabilization. Only upon being aware of one’s Hepatitis C status can someone start to make choices that will help stabilize or cure their condition.
Recent advancements in Hepatitis C drugs can lead to a cure in up to three-quarters of infected people. For those who are not candidates or are not successful in eliminating a chronic case of Hepatitis C through pharmaceuticals, there are many approaches that help prevent liver disease progression, such as:
- Being completely abstinent from alcohol
- Minimizing toxin exposure via inhalation, absorption and consumption
- Eating a liver-friendly diet
- Maintaining an ideal body weight
- Getting regular physical activity
- Using liver protective supplements like milk thistle
- Avoiding cigarettes and drugs
- Relieving stress on a regular basis
- Seeking emotional support when necessary
The lifespan prediction for those with chronic Hepatitis C will vary for each individual. Being diagnosed with Hepatitis C early, eliminating the virus with drug therapy, avoiding alcohol and drugs and making other liver-healthy lifestyle changes will undoubtedly lead to a better prognosis.
Having chronic Hepatitis C is not a death sentence, but a reminder that we are all mortal beings. It is a call-to-action, reminding those infected to take charge of their health – and create their own prognosis.
References:
http://hepatitis-c.emedtv.com/hepatitis-c/hepatitis-c-statistics.html, Hepatitis C Statistics, Retrieved July 1, 2012, Clinaero, Inc., 2012.
http://www.azdhs.gov/phs/oids/hepc/stats.htm, Hepatitis Program Data and Statistics, Retrieved July 1, 2012, Arizona Department of Health Services, 2012.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57381654-10391704/hepatitis-c-death-rates-rise-1-in-33-baby-boomers-has-disease/, Hepatitis C Death Rates Rise, 1 in 33 Baby Boomers has Disease, Retrieved July 1, 2012, CBS Interactive, Inc., 2012.
http://www.hepatitis-central.com/mt/archives/2011/08/surprising_data.html, Surprising Data on What Typically Ends the Fight Against Hep C, Nicole Cutler, LAc, Retrieved July 1, 2012, Hepatitis Central, 2012.
http://www.hepatitiscmsg.org/hep-c-facts–stats.html, Hep C Facts & Statistics, Retrieved July 1, 2012. The Hepatitis C Mentor & Support Group, Inc., 2012.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed, Little evidence that hepatitis C virus leads to a higher risk of mortality in the absence of cirrhosis and excess alcohol intake: the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study, Prasad L, et al, Retrieved July 1, 2012, Journal of Viral Hepatitis, September 2009.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/health/research/hepatitis-c-deaths-creep-past-aids-study-finds.html, Awareness: Hepatitis C Death Rate Creeps Past AIDS, Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times, February 2012.
