A 62-year-old man visited MEDLATEC General Hospital for a check-up due to dark urine, fatigue, and loss of appetite that had been present for a week. During this check-up, the patient was unexpectedly admitted for treatment to prevent the disease from progressing to a life-threatening stage, due to a flare-up of chronic hepatitis B.
Suffering the consequences after 3 months of arbitrarily adjusting medication dosages.
Due to carelessness and negligence, many people self-medicate or stop taking medication prematurely, leading to unforeseen health consequences. The case of Mr. PVB (63 years old, Ha Nam ) is a concrete example.
Mr. B. visited MEDLATEC General Hospital for examination due to dark urine and loss of appetite. Mr. B. stated that he was diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B in 2009. From the time of diagnosis until March of this year, he consistently took UCVR TDF medication as prescribed by his doctor.
The most recent check-up in March showed stable liver enzymes and a viral load below the detection threshold. However, for the next three months, he mistakenly assumed his hepatitis B was under control and self-medicated by taking one pill every other day.
For about a week now, he has noticed he has lost his appetite, feels tired, his urine has become progressively darker, and his urine volume has decreased. Given these "unpleasant" symptoms, his family advised him to go to MEDLATEC General Hospital for a health check.
After receiving the results of the medical examination, ultrasound, and tests, the family was shocked to learn that Mr. B. had been admitted to the hospital for inpatient treatment to prevent the disease from progressing further, as this was a flare-up of chronic hepatitis B.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoai, a specialist in Infectious Diseases at MEDLATEC General Hospital, received the patient and stated that after reviewing the patient's history of chronic hepatitis B, the risk factors included intermittent medication use, and the reasons for the visit were dark urine and loss of appetite. Examination of the patient's organs revealed no abnormalities, leading to a preliminary diagnosis of suspected chronic hepatitis B flare-up. Simultaneously, the patient was advised to undergo hematological, biochemical, microbiological tests, and an abdominal ultrasound for a definitive diagnosis.
The patient's test results showed several indicators that were abnormally elevated.
As predicted by the doctor, the liver enzyme test index (AST, ALT) increased 34 times, Albumin: decreased, AFP: increased, especially the HBV DNA test - a test to determine the quantity or concentration of the virus in the blood of patients infected with hepatitis B virus gave the result of 10^7 IU/ml. Abdominal ultrasound showed a slightly coarse liver image. From this result, the patient was diagnosed with a chronic hepatitis B outbreak and was advised to be hospitalized for inpatient treatment to avoid severe progression of the disease.
Stopping medication or adjusting dosage on your own – More harm than good for people with chronic hepatitis B.
Associate Professor Dr. Trinh Thi Ngoc – Infectious Disease Specialist (MEDLATEC Healthcare System), former Head of the Infectious Disease Department (Bach Mai Hospital), and Vice President of the Vietnam Hepatobiliary Association, with over 40 years of experience, shared: “Chronic hepatitis B requires long-term treatment; currently, there is no cure. Antiviral drugs are prescribed to inhibit viral replication and limit liver damage progressing to cirrhosis and liver cancer. Due to the prolonged management, examination, and treatment time, in my practice, I have encountered cases where patients, exhausted by the time and cost, have stopped taking their medication on their own.”
People should be vigilant if their liver and biliary tract test results show unusually high levels.
At the same time, experts say that in some cases, only elevated liver enzymes can lead to liver failure and require dialysis. This is due to a lack of treatment or self-medication. This is a fairly common situation today, placing a burden on the healthcare system and endangering the health and lives of patients.
Sharing the roadmap for Mr. PVB's health management in the coming time, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thai Son - Microbiology Expert, Deputy Director of MEDLATEC Testing Center said, " Because patient B. did not comply with the treatment regimen, it led to a bad consequence of a virus outbreak, so in addition to needing to be hospitalized for emergency treatment, the patient needs to comply with the doctor's treatment prescription. After 1 month of treatment, if the condition does not improve, the patient needs to do a HBV Genotype test, drug resistance mutation to assess the risk of hepatitis B drug resistance to change the treatment regimen. Because patients who voluntarily stop taking medication often have a very high risk of drug resistance ."
Experts advise people to adhere to their doctor's prescribed check-up and treatment schedule. They should also seek immediate medical attention if they experience any suspected symptoms of hepatitis B, such as fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle pain, fever, jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), or dark urine.
3 principles for maintaining a healthy liver for hepatitis B patients.
Regular health check-ups, or follow-up visits as directed by your doctor, are the best way to manage your health.
Viral hepatitis is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Acute and chronic hepatitis B, if not strictly managed and treated, will have the risk of progressing to cirrhosis, cancer, and even death. There is currently no cure for chronic hepatitis, so to limit liver damage, patients need to "pocket" the following principles:
- Do not stop antiviral treatment on your own, or only stop treatment when directed by your doctor. At the same time, periodically check to assess the possibility of HBV reactivation after stopping the medication.
- Regular health check-ups twice a year, or as specifically directed by your doctor.
- Follow a scientific and reasonable diet and lifestyle: Do not drink alcohol; Do not eat too spicy, too salty, too fatty foods; Choose lean meat, low in fat; Increase green vegetables and fruits; Whole grains (barley, brown rice, whole wheat noodles).
In addition, to proactively and effectively prevent chronic hepatitis B, patients need to:
- Hepatitis B vaccination for infants, young children, people with chronic diseases and those who do not have antibodies against HBV.
- Do not share needles or personal items such as toothbrushes, nail clippers, or razors with anyone.
- Monogamous sexual relations. If the other person has hepatitis B, use protection during sex.
- Avoid abusing stimulants such as alcohol and tobacco to prevent damage to the liver.
In observance of World Hepatitis Day, from July 15th to August 15th, 2024, MEDLATEC is offering 2870 free rapid HBsAg tests – testing for the surface antigen of the HBV virus, which indicates whether the body is infected with the Hepatitis B virus. A positive HBsAg result means the body is infected with Hepatitis B; a negative HBsAg result means the body is not infected with Hepatitis B. This is a primary, basic test indicated for all health check-ups, especially for those with risk factors for Hepatitis B such as fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, muscle pain, fever, jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), dark urine, and contact with multiple people or people with Hepatitis B… The free program applies to all customers who register to use the home sample collection service in the Hanoi area. MEDLATEC is offering free Hepatitis B (HBsAg) testing to all residents in Hanoi who schedule in-home sample collection appointments, valid until August 15, 2024. By participating in this special offer, customers can rest assured of accurate and reliable diagnostic results, as they are automatically analyzed on a state-of-the-art system and managed according to international standards ISO 15189:2012 and CAP (USA). Furthermore, customers receive immediate consultation from a doctor after receiving their results. For any service inquiries or to book a special offer, please contact our hotline at 1900 56 56 56. |
Comment (0)