Medical hepatitis is severe inflammation of the liver caused by prolonged use of medications that can cause liver irritation, such as acute hepatitis or fulminant hepatitis.
The development of drug hepatitis may be related, in some cases, to the overuse or toxicity of certain medications, which causes the drug to directly affect liver cells. In other cases, drug hepatitis may occur due to a person’s hypersensitivity to a particular drug.
- Drug hepatitis is not detected because it is not contagious.
- Being caused solely by the use of substances that impair the functioning of the liver.
Hepatitis for drugs can be caused by anabolic steroids, toxic products used in industrial settings and medicines, being the main:
In some rare cases, Roacutan, a medicine used to treat severe acne, can cause drug hepatitis, but disappears with decreased dose of the drug or its suspension.
It is important to note that medicated hepatitis does not occur in all patients taking these medicines, but in those who are most sensitive to them or who have used them in high doses, resulting in liver toxicity.
As a form of prevention of medical hepatitis, it is recommended to take only medicines prescribed by your doctor and never exceed recommended doses.
In addition, people who work in industrial settings and are exposed to toxic substances on a daily basis should wear appropriate clothing and masks to avoid inhaling these products, prevent liver irritation and the development of drug-related hepatitis.
Symptoms of hepatitis of pharmacological origin appear suddenly, usually after use of the drug, and the main symptoms are:
Drug hepatitis can be identified by evaluating symptoms by your doctor, especially after medication use or exposure to toxic substances, and the outcome of the requested tests. Learn to recognize the symptoms of medicated hepatitis.
When drug hepatitis is suspected, your doctor usually requests the blood count, which corresponds to a group of tests that are requested to evaluate liver function, with TGO, TGP, GGT, albumin, bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase and prothrombin time tests. These tests are usually controlled together and provide important information about the condition of the liver, modifying in case of injury, as they are very sensitive markers.
In addition to these tests, liver biopsy can help differentiate you from other types of hepatitis. Learn more about liver tests.
Treatment for medicated hepatitis involves immediate discontinuation of the drug or exposure to any toxic substances that may have caused the disease.
When this is not enough, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids for a period of about 2 months or until liver tests are normal. Usually, after 1 to 3 years, the patient should be re-examined to see how their liver is working.
The diet for medicated hepatitis involves drinking plenty of water and increasing consumption of natural foods such as vegetables, fruits and cereals by reducing consumption of high-fat foods and alcoholic beverages.
This type of food is important to facilitate liver detoxification, as this type of food is easier to digest and the liver is less stressed. See more feed details in this video: