Adherence to therapy: Challenges in HCV-infected patients

Although clinicians recognize the importance of adherence to HCV therapy, little research has been conducted to determine actual adherence rates or predictors of adherence in this population. Adherence is a challenge in the HCV-infected individual because of the complexities of the drug regimen, side effects from the medication, frequency of clinical monitoring, variable response to therapy, and potential complications. However, because of the time-limited nature of the current medication therapies, multidisciplinary and multifactoral interventional strategies may be designed to positively influence adherence rates and, ultimately, treatment outcomes in this patient population. Copyright © 2007 by Current Medicine Group LLC.