The correct way to take obeticholic acid, as well as the usage and dosage

Obeticholic acid is used alone or in combination with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) to treat primary biliary cholangitis (PBC; a liver disease that destroys the bile ducts, allowing bile to remain in the liver and cause damage) in people who cannot take ursodeoxycholic acid or who have not been successfully treated with ursodeoxycholic acid alone. Obeticholic acid is in a class of drugs called farnesin X receptor agonists. It works by reducing bile production in the liver and increasing bile clearance from the liver.

Obeticholic acid is available as an oral tablet and requires treatment in patients who do not have evidence of portal hypertension and have not achieved an adequate biochemical response to an appropriate dose of UDCA for at least 1 year, or are intolerant to UDCA. The recommended dose is 5 mg orally once daily during the first 3 months of drug treatment, increasing to a maximum dose of 10 mg once daily after the first 3 months in patients who have insufficient reductions in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and/or total bilirubin and in patients who tolerate obeticholic acid . Patients may take obeticholic acid whether or not they are eating; for patients taking bile acid binding resins, take obeticholic acid at least4 hours before or 4 hours after taking bile acid binding resin, or as long as possible.

Therefore, obeticholic acid is an innovative treatment drug for liver diseases, and the specific administration time and dosage should be determined according to the doctor's guidance and the patient's specific conditions. Patients should pay close attention to changes in their condition during the treatment process, and receive regular evaluations from doctors and adjustments to treatment plans. At the same time, even if you feel well, do not stop taking obeticholic acid without authorization to avoid recurrence or aggravation of the condition.