Ensuring adequate nutrition can significantly improve quality of life in HCV patients. Good nutrition results in improved compliance with pharmacologic therapy and has also been found to hinder disease progression by preventing the development of HCV complications like Cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy.
In the absence of Decompensated cirrhosis or comorbid conditions like Diabetes Mellitus, HCV patients usually do not require special diets. However, it is imperative that they consume a balanced diet, containing an adequate amount of calories and proteins to fight the infection as well as antioxidants to combat free radicals responsible for hepatocyte damage. In addition, frequent small meals have been found to improve nitrogen and substrate …show more content…
In accordance with this, most interventions are focused on providing a diet that is adequate in proteins and calories, and integrate physical activity into the patient’s lifestyle. Because management of malnutrition in such patients is directed at addressing the underlying etiology, it is important to obtain a good understanding of the nutritional intake patterns and barriers to healthy eating. The best way to achieve that is through a detailed history and physical exam at each clinic visit, as well as counseling sessions with a dietician, who may be able to further draw up an individualized plan for each patient based on his/her need. Because a dietitian may not be available in many clinical settings, physicians may need to familiarize themselves with guideline recommendations for both diet and …show more content…
Below, we talk about some policies that could be adopted to ensure adequate nutrition for patients with chronic liver disease, and the role of health care providers, as well as the local government in the implementation of these policies.
HCV patients can be categorized as those with acute HCV, compensated cirrhosis, and decompensated cirrhosis. We recommend screening all HCV patients with a simple screening tool like SGA to identify patients suffering from nutritional impairment, and limiting the use of more specialized diagnostic measures, such as BIA and DEXA scans, to patients with an advanced form of liver disease, such as those with decompensated liver disease, awaiting liver
In the absence of Decompensated cirrhosis or comorbid conditions like Diabetes Mellitus, HCV patients usually do not require special diets. However, it is imperative that they consume a balanced diet, containing an adequate amount of calories and proteins to fight the infection as well as antioxidants to combat free radicals responsible for hepatocyte damage. In addition, frequent small meals have been found to improve nitrogen and substrate …show more content…
In accordance with this, most interventions are focused on providing a diet that is adequate in proteins and calories, and integrate physical activity into the patient’s lifestyle. Because management of malnutrition in such patients is directed at addressing the underlying etiology, it is important to obtain a good understanding of the nutritional intake patterns and barriers to healthy eating. The best way to achieve that is through a detailed history and physical exam at each clinic visit, as well as counseling sessions with a dietician, who may be able to further draw up an individualized plan for each patient based on his/her need. Because a dietitian may not be available in many clinical settings, physicians may need to familiarize themselves with guideline recommendations for both diet and …show more content…
Below, we talk about some policies that could be adopted to ensure adequate nutrition for patients with chronic liver disease, and the role of health care providers, as well as the local government in the implementation of these policies.
HCV patients can be categorized as those with acute HCV, compensated cirrhosis, and decompensated cirrhosis. We recommend screening all HCV patients with a simple screening tool like SGA to identify patients suffering from nutritional impairment, and limiting the use of more specialized diagnostic measures, such as BIA and DEXA scans, to patients with an advanced form of liver disease, such as those with decompensated liver disease, awaiting liver