Antidepressants Improve Hep C Therapy Adherence
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New Analysis Finds Antidepressants Boost Patient Adherence to Hepatitis C Treatment
Patients taking medications for depression more likely to stick with Interferon treatment
BALTIMORE, April 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Adherence to interferon, an important medication used to treat Hepatitis C, is critical to successfully clearing the virus that causes the disease. A new observational analysis by Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) finds that when Hepatitis C patients are also being treated for depression — a frequent side effect of interferon use — they are more likely to remain on their interferon therapy. The analysis is being presented today at the International Conference on Viral Hepatitis 2011.
According to the study, approximately 40 percent of Hepatitis C patients on interferon and ribavirin — an antiviral medication used in combination with interferon — were not adherent to their medication regimen. This puts patients at risk for progression of their disease due to their inability to eliminate the virus. The research found that the patients also using an antidepressant had the highest rates of adherence to their Hepatitis C treatment.
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