Impact of Anti-Hepatitis C Therapy on Cardiac rhythm

Abstract

HCV infection is a major health problem being one of the leading cause of chronic liver disease in many countries especially Egypt.

The use of IFN in the treatment proved to cause many health problems and side effect and with the continuous development and improvement of the HCV treatments, IFN based treatment was consequently excluded from the treatment and it became based on DAAs.

Direct-acting antiviral agents, which are targeting the life cycle of HCV at different stages, have been developed and approved by the FDA.

The use of DAAs has raised some concerns about the possibilities of cardiac toxicity after FDA issued a safety announcement of serious slowing of the heart rate when Amiodarone was used with hepatitis C treatment .

The aim of our study was to assess the impact of Anti-Hepatitis C Therapy on cardiac rhythm using 24 hours Holter monitoring.

It was conducted on 50 consecutive adult patients with chronic hepatitis C infection eligible for DAAs therapy supplied in the outpatient clinic of Ain shams University Virology Center .Patients have received Sofosbuvir 400 mg and Daclatasvir 60 mg / day for 12 weeks, with exclusion of