Revolutionizing treatment outcomes in hepatitis C: managed care implications and considerations--a clinical overview.

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is highly prevalent and associated with a wide range of hepatic and extrahepatic complications. The treatment landscape for HCV infection has evolved to include regimens without interferon formulations and/or ribavirin. This change simplifies therapy, improves tolerability, and decreases therapy duration, while improving virologic response rates. This article, the first in a series of 3, will provide an overview of the hepatitis C disease state, identify populations at risk for HCV, describe testing recommendations for the diagnosis of HCV infection, and distinguish new and emerging HCV therapies.