Ask the Experts Webinar: Updates in Management of Chronic Liver Disease
Date Recorded
March 4, 2019
Program
An American Liver Foundation webinar aired March 4th, 2019 featuring Dr. Eric W. Chak, MPH, Assistant Professor of Clinical Internal Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Dr. Alicia Gonzalez-Flores, Associate Physician, Internal Medicine, UC Davis Medical Center, Dr. Souvik Sarkar, PhD, Assistant Professor, Director of Fellow Research, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, UC Davis Medical Center and Dr. Kidist Yimam, Director, Autoimmune Liver Disease Program, Division of Hepatology and Liver Transplantation, California Pacific Medical Center and ALF Executive Director, Northern California Division, Veronica LaBeau.
Who Should Watch
Medical professionals, patients and caregivers of people with chronic liver disease such as chronic Hepatitis B, chronic Hepatitis C, fatty liver disease and alcoholic liver disease. Healthcare professionals interested in perspectives of some of the top medical professionals in this field should also watch.
Q&A
This webinar generated the following questions answered by our panel of experts…
My doctor told me that I am a chronic carrier of hepatitis B. Do I still need to be monitored every 6-12 months?
Yes, there is always a chance that hepatitis B may get worse over time and treatment may be needed. You will still need to have your hepatitis B virus level and liver panel checked every 6-12 months to ensure stability.
I was recently diagnosed with hepatitis B. Is it contagious? Should I test my family?
Yes, it is contagious, but only if someone contacts your blood or sexual fluid. Family members and close contacts should be tested for the virus (hepatitis B surface antigen) and immunity against the virus (hepatitis B surface antibody) and given a hepatitis B vaccine if they are not immune against hepatitis B.
Do the hepatitis B medications cure me of the virus?
No, the current medications that we use (entecavir or tenofovir) only suppress the virus, but if you were to stop medication, it would come back. Novel compounds are undergoing animal studies currently and are not yet ready for human testing.
Are any of the new medicines in clinical study, eg CPAMs, promising?
There are currently no human clinical trials regarding medications under investigation for hepatitis B cure. The only studies on going are in animals so it will be many years (possibly decades) before they are tested in humans.
Besides getting treated for hep c, what can I do at home to protect my liver?
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After getting treated, will I be protected from Hep C?
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After getting treated, when should I be tested again for Hep C?
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Are there liver centers in the US transplanting patients with acute alcoholic hepatitis?
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What are the pros and cons of liver transplant for acute alcoholic hepatitis ?
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What are the post liver transplant outcomes of patients with alcoholic liver disease?
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Last updated on December 1st, 2022 at 11:07 am