The drug "Pegasis" is an immunomodulating drug with antiviral activity. The active substance is peginterferon alpha-2a.
The Pegasis medication recommends for chronic hepatitis C in adults with positive RNA of the virus with compensated cirrhosis or without cirrhosis, including with HIV co-infection (clinically stable). In this case, the medicine can be used both independently and in combination.
In combination with the Ribavirin medication, the Pegasis preparation recommends that patients who have not received previous treatment, or in the absence of effectiveness from previous monotherapy with unpegylated or pegylated interferon alpha, use the drug.
The drug is prescribed for adults with chronic hepatitis B (HBeAg positive and negative) with compensated liver damage and symptoms of viral replication, histologically confirmed fibrosis (or inflammation in the liver) and increased ALT.
The use of Pegasys medicine is recommended under the supervision of a doctor who has experience in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C and B.
With complex therapy, the Ribavirin medication is used in accordance with its annotation.
The medicine "Pegasis" instruction allows you to enter only in the thigh or front wall of the peritoneum once a week. Injections are performed subcutaneously.
Before administration, it is necessary to examine the drug. The solution should not contain impurities. The drug should not change color. The doctor should instruct the patient on the proper storage of the medicine. Used materials must be disposed of. Repeated use of needles and syringes is not allowed.
For chronic HBeAg-negative and HBeAg-positive hepatitis B, the drug "Pegasis 180" is prescribed once every seven days. The duration of monotherapy is forty-eight weeks, taking into account the genotype.
In chronic hepatitis C, the drug is also used once a week for patients who have not received previous treatment. The recommended dose is 180 micrograms as monotherapy or in combination with Ribavirin.
The drug is contraindicated in autoimmune hepatitis, decompensated cirrhosis, severe liver failure, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, decompensated stage of diabetes mellitus. The drug "Pegasis" is not prescribed for severe cardiovascular pathologies in the stage of decompensation, including a poorly controlled, unstable course during the previous six months. The drug is contraindicated for children under three years of age, with hypersensitivity to alpha interferons, as well as waste products of E. coli, polyethylene glycol or any other ingredients of the drug.
When using complex therapy with the Ribavirin medication, contraindications to it should also be taken into account.
With hepatitis C, the use of the drug "Pegasis" during pregnancy is not allowed. If necessary, use the product for lactating women, the issue of stopping lactation should be decided .
With caution is prescribed for cardiovascular and autoimmune pathologies, depression (including a history of), psoriasis.
As a rule, Pegasis is well tolerated. However, in some cases, individual adverse reactions are possible. Usually, after reducing the dose to 135 mcg, unwanted effects are eliminated.
About the drug "Pegasis" the reviews of specialists are generally positive. Many doctors point to the effectiveness of the drug and the persistence of the result. In addition, the medication is well tolerated by patients. Very rarely, side effects were noted during treatment, which are associated mainly with increased sensitivity.
Treatment with the drug "Pegasis" should be carried out only under the supervision of a doctor.