For Older Adults, New Hepatitis C Treatments Are Safe and Effective, Study Suggests

A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggests newer hepatitis C medications known as interferon-free direct-acting antivirals are safe and more effective for older adults than for younger adults, reports ScienceDaily . The cohort included 1,151 people living with hepatitis C, with over 630 younger than 65, and 516 who were 65 or older. The older adults exhibited more severe liver disease, along with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and chronic kidney disease, versus the younger adults. However, the treatments yielded greater cure rates for older subjects. The researchers recommended that older adults should be treated with interferon-free direct-acting antivirals as soon as possible, since hepatitis C causes liver damage as people age. Participant age did not appear to impact the treatment's effectiveness, although many older participants were on other medications at the same time.