Adverse Drug Reactions are Primary Cause of Acute Liver Failure in U.S.
Drug-induced liver injury is the most frequent reason cited for the withdrawal from the U.S. market of an FDA-approved prescription drug. Relatedly, adverse drug reactions account for more than fifty-percent of reported cases of acute liver failure in the U.S.
Given these statistics, a familiarity with drug-induced liver disease is vital to doctors and patients, both. Because there are no characteristic liver function abnormalities, the diagnosis of drug-induced liver injury is multi-faceted. In more detail, the diagnosis of liver disease caused by the use of prescription drugs requires a thorough medication history, knowledge of which drugs are most likely to cause liver injury, and appropriate blood tests to rule out other possible causes, such as viral hepatitis.
The FDA encourages patients to learn the signs of liver disease so they can be aware of possible liver-related side effects from use of prescription drugs. Some of the leading liver damage symptoms are:
- Jaundice (abnormally yellow skin and eyes);
- Dark urine;
- Light-colored stools;
- Nausea;
- Vomiting; and,
- Loss of appetite.
Serious cases of liver injury may lead to sleep disturbances, mental confusion, and coma.
Serzone (nefazodone) is a recent example of a prescription drug which came under scrutiny due to an unusually high number of reports of drug-induced hepatitis as well as liver failure secondary to Serzone use. Ultimately, a drug-induced liver injury may require a liver transplant, and can even cause death, as was the unfortunate fate of teen-ager Cassie Geisenhof (dec'd). Her sad story was made public in April 2004 by the CBS Evening News; their report can viewed, now, by going to the web page below and making use of the Multimedia / Video link in the right sidebar on that page (link pictured under the CBS page URL for demonstrative purposes, only; must access this video from CBS page):
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/04/15/eveningnews/main612150.shtml
Video
Sharyl Attkisson reports on the growing controversy surrounding the anti-depressant drug Serzone, which has been linked to liver failure and other complications.
(Posted by: Tom Lamb)