3 steps to protect your heart from hepatitis C

If you live with hepatitis C, you likely understand that it can harm your liver. But did you know it can also affect your heart?

Compared to people who aren’t infected, people with hepatitis C have a higher risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, and other cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) diseases. They’re also more likely to die of these conditions. The risk increases if you have hepatitis C in addition to HIV. (The two infections often occur together.)

About 2.7 million people in the United States live with chronic hepatitis C, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and there are many theories about why it’s linked to heart disease. Having hepatitis C can contribute to inflammation, oxidative stress (a potentially harmful imbalance of body chemicals), and problems with endothelial cells, which line the heart and blood vessels. It can also raise the chances of having obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure—among other health conditions—all of which can damage the heart.

If you’re worried about how hepatitis C might affect your heart and your health, follow these three steps to get a handle on your condition.

Step 1: Get tested

Since most people who have hepatitis C don’t know it, the first step is to get tested. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends one-time screening for adults between the ages of 18 and 79 years. Experts recommend additional, more frequent, or earlier screening for some people at higher risk, including those who inject drugs and pregnant people.

There are two tests for hepatitis C. The first checks for antibodies that your body produces to fight the infection; it determines whether you’ve had hepatitis C at some point in your life. If that test is positive, you’ll take a second test, called a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. The PCR test looks for the signs of the virus and can tell if you are currently infected.

Step 2: Get treated

Treatment for hepatitis C has improved significantly over the years. Today, medications known as direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) can cure more than 95 percent of people who take them. Treatment takes between 8 and 12 weeks and side effects are mild and relatively uncommon.

Despite its effectiveness, up to two-thirds of people with hepatitis C don’t receive DAA treatment. Speak to a physician or other healthcare provider about how to access this potentially lifesaving medication, and how health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or patient assistance programs can help cover the cost.

Step 3: Get healthy

Taking steps to protect your heart is key for people with hepatitis C. That means keeping track of your blood pressure and cholesterol, and making heart-smart lifestyle changes, including the following.

Get enough exercise

The benefits of aerobic exercise for heart and liver health are well-established. For health benefits, experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. For example, taking two brisk, 15-minute walks each day can go a long way toward improving your overall well-being. But any amount of physical activity helps, from gardening to dancing to doing chores around your home.

Eat a healthy diet

Eating a balanced, nutritious diet can help support the health of your heart and liver. Prioritize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and lean proteins such as chicken and fish. Limit or avoid extra salt, added sugars, and saturated fat, often found in ultra-processed foods. Instead, choose heart-healthy unsaturated fats, like those found in nuts, non-tropical vegetable oils, avocados, and fatty fish such as salmon and tuna. Many experts recommend the Mediterranean diet for people with heart issues and hepatitis C.

Avoid alcohol

Since hepatitis C affects the liver, one of the most important steps you can take is to stop drinking beer, wine, and liquor. Even if you’ve been treated, the disease can cause liver scarring and may increase the risk for liver cancer, both of which are exacerbated by alcohol. Drinking in excess can also harm the heart, raising blood pressure and increasing cardiovascular disease risk for some people.