The common point of the cases is not having the habit of checking their health regularly because they think they are still healthy and have no unusual symptoms. Only when some coincidence signs appear do they see a doctor. However, at this time, the disease was at a late stage, making treatment with drugs almost ineffective and requiring surgery.
The first case is female patient D.T.B (born in 1964, residing in Bac Ninh). About two months ago, relatives noticed that her skin had signs of darkening, so they advised her to see a doctor. At the medical facility, the patient was diagnosed with severe hepatitis B. The patient has a history of diabetes for 8 years and has been receiving insulin treatment for the past 3 years.
Despite the doctor's prescription for treatment, the patient did not comply and listened to an acquaintance recommend using herbal medicine from the anise tree. The disease did not subside. In the past 3 days, she has been constantly tired, her abdomen is tight, her skin and eyes are yellow, so she was transferred to the Central Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Tests here showed that the patient had progressed to the stage of decompensatory cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis B and a tight neck.
Doctor CKII Nguyen Van Tuan - Deputy Head of the Department of Hepatitis said: The patient's condition was in the stage of decompensive cirrhosis, Child-Pugh C, very severe liver failure (PT 21%, Bilirubin in full over μ 600mol/L), and the risk of death was high if not transplanted in time.
The second case is Mr. N.H.D (born in 1981, residing in Hai Phong). A month ago, the patient went to the hospital for a leg pain check-up and a general health check-up because he had not been examined for a long time. Test results detected people infected with hepatitis B, liver enzymes and a viral load 5 times higher than normal, accompanied by signs of yellowing. resonation images discovered an additional liver tumor measuring 30x26 mm.
Fortunately, the patient's tumor was discovered early and was in a favorable location, could be operated on, and the treatment prognosis was quite positive.
The above 2 cases are just typical examples of many patients with hepatitis B detected late due to subjectivity, not having regular health check-ups - especially in young people, when their health is still good and there are almost no symptoms. Hepatitis B is a silently progressive disease, but if not detected and treated promptly, it can cause serious complications such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
According to Dr. Nguyen Van Tuan, hepatitis B is a silent disease but can be completely controlled and treated effectively if detected early. People should proactively screen for hepatitis B at least once a year, especially when there is a family member who has had hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver cancer. Even if there are no unusual symptoms, do not be subjective, because the disease often has no obvious symptoms in the early stages.
For those who have been vaccinated against hepatitis B, it is necessary to check the anti-HBsAg index to ensure that the body is capable of protecting the liver. For people who have been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B, regular check-ups and treatment at specialized medical facilities are key factors to prevent dangerous complications.
Hepatitis B screening is one of the simplest, most effective and cost-effective solutions to protect the health of yourself, your family and the community.
