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Acute cholestatic hepatitis associated with pravastatin
M Hartleb1, G Rymarczyk, K Januszewski
1Department of Gastroenterology, Silesian Medical School, Katowice, Poland.
The American Journal of Gastroenterology
|May 11, 1999
Summary
Pravastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, can cause acute cholestatic hepatitis. Symptoms resolved after discontinuing pravastatin, indicating a favorable outcome with drug withdrawal.
Area of Science:
- Hepatology
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Hypercholesterolemia management often involves statin therapy.
- Pravastatin is a commonly prescribed statin for lowering cholesterol levels.
Observation:
- A 57-year-old male developed acute cholestatic hepatitis 7 weeks after initiating pravastatin (20 mg/day).
- Clinical presentation included jaundice and abnormal liver function tests.
Findings:
- Comprehensive diagnostic workup (ultrasound, CT, ERCP, liver biopsy) confirmed intrahepatic nonobstructive jaundice.
- Liver function normalized within 7 weeks of discontinuing pravastatin.
Implications:
- Pravastatin should be considered a potential cause of drug-induced cholestatic hepatitis.
- Discontinuation of pravastatin leads to favorable clinical outcomes in such cases.