what causes liver failure in humans
1 Metabolic disease. 2  Rare metabolic diseases, such as Wilson's disease and acute fatty liver of pregnancy, infrequently cause acute liver failure. 3  Cancer. 4  Cancer that either begins in or spreads to your liver can cause your liver to fail.
Causes. Acute liver failure occurs when liver cells are damaged significantly and are no longer able to function. Potential causes include: Acetaminophen overdose. Taking too much acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States.
1 Diseases of the veins in the liver. 2  Vascular diseases, such as Budd-Chiari syndrome, can cause blockages in the veins of the liver, leading to acute liver failure. 3  Metabolic disease. 4  Rare metabolic diseases, such as Wilson's disease and acute fatty liver of pregnancy, infrequently cause acute liver failure.