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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffFactors that may increase the risk of toxic hepatitis include:
- Taking over-the-counter pain relievers or certain prescription drugs. Taking a medication or over-the-counter pain reliever that carries a risk of liver damage increases your risk of toxic hepatitis. This is especially true if you take multiple medications or take more than the recommended dose of medication.
- Having a liver disease. Having a serious liver disorder such as cirrhosis or fatty liver disease makes you much more susceptible to the effects of toxins.
- Having hepatitis. Having viral hepatitis caused by the hepatitis B or C viruses makes your liver more vulnerable.
- Aging. As you age, your liver breaks down harmful substances more slowly. This means that toxins and their byproducts stay in your body longer.
- Drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol while taking medications increases the toxic effects of most drugs.
- Being female. Because women seem to metabolize certain toxins more slowly than men do, their livers are exposed to higher blood concentrations of harmful substances for longer periods of time. This increases the risk of toxic hepatitis.
- Having certain gene defects. Inheriting certain genetic defects that affect the production and action of liver enzymes that break down toxins may make you more susceptible to toxic hepatitis.
- Working with industrial toxins. Working with certain industrial chemicals puts you at risk of toxic hepatitis.
References
- Teoh NC, et al. Liver disease caused by drugs. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&about=true&uniqId=229999237-13. Accessed Nov. 11, 2010.
- Lewis JH. Liver disease caused by anesthetics, toxins and herbal preparations. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&about=true&uniqId=229999237-13. Accessed Nov. 11, 2010.
- Jones AL, et al. Hepatic toxicology. In: Shannon MW, et al. Haddad and Winchester's Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdose. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0693-4..50002-5&isbn=978-0-7216-0693-4&uniqId=226391226-4. Accessed Nov. 12, 2010.
- Guss DA, et al. Disorders of the liver and biliary tract. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..X0001-1--TOP&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&about=true&uniqId=230052158-6. Accessed Nov. 11, 2010.
- Rodgers GC, et al. Poisonings. In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Nov. 17, 2010.
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