NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN DRUG HEPATOTOXICITY

Drug hepatotoxicity continues to be a major concern in health care today. Many commonly used drugs are known to have possible hepatotoxic side effects. There are drug-drug interactions that are known to potentiate the hepatotoxicity of some drugs. In this review, we discuss the current developments in the field of hepatotoxicity and review recent literature on several known hepatotoxic agents. Of the many drugs and toxins known to produce liver injury, only those that have received the most attention in the recent literature are discussed. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a class of drugs that is widely used, but the potential hepatotoxic side effects are not always appreciated. Total parenteral nutrition has become increasingly used in medicine today. Recent studies have discussed possible mechanisms by which total parenteral nutrition may produce liver injury. Other commonly used drugs with possible hepatotoxic side effects are also discussed.