The disease may be severe but critical liver injury appears to be worse with age, increasing after age 35 with the highest frequency of severe liver disease in those over age 50. Phenytoin is used to treat seizure disorders and in a few instances has been related to causing severe hepatitis-like liver injury leading to complete liver failure. The hepatitis is usually associated with fever and rash and becomes evident within the first two months of treatment. Zidovudine is an antiviral which can cause hepatitis. Ketoconazole is a very common antifungal drug which can cause hepatitis.
Nifedipine is used in cardiac patients and is a calcium channel blocker which can cause hepatitis.
Rifampin and nitrofurantoin are antibiotics which can cause hepatitis. However, most antibiotics have some potential to cause hepatitis. Oral contraceptives can sometimes cause jaundice and have also been implicated in the development of benign liver tumors. National Center for Infectious Diseases Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta, Georgia 30333. The text presented on these pages is for your information only.