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Hepatitis following famotidine: a case report

Nishant Gupta1, Chirag Patel, Mukta Panda

  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tennessee, College of Medicine, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA. ngupta19@aol.com.

Cases Journal
|January 29, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Famotidine, a histamine H2 receptor antagonist, can rarely cause acute hepatitis. Discontinuation of famotidine led to liver enzyme normalization in a patient with hepatitis C, suggesting drug-induced liver injury.

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Pharmacology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Histamine H2 receptor antagonists are rarely associated with idiosyncratic drug reactions, including acute hepatitis.
  • Famotidine is generally considered safe regarding hepatotoxicity.
  • Hepatitis C is a known risk factor for liver dysfunction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a rare case of acute hepatitis potentially induced by famotidine.
  • To highlight the importance of considering drug-induced liver injury in patients with unexplained hepatitis.
  • To emphasize the need for vigilant monitoring of liver enzymes during famotidine therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Case report of a 47-year-old male patient with a history of hepatitis C.
  • Monitoring of liver enzymes upon admission and during hospitalization.
  • Discontinuation of famotidine as a suspected cause of acute hepatitis.
  • Observation of liver enzyme levels following famotidine withdrawal.

Main Results:

  • The patient developed acute hepatitis with a dramatic rise in liver enzymes on the third day of hospitalization.
  • Liver enzymes normalized within seven days after discontinuing famotidine.
  • The temporal relationship between famotidine use and the rise in liver enzymes suggests a causal link.

Conclusions:

  • Famotidine should be considered a potential cause of acute hepatitis, even in patients with pre-existing liver conditions.
  • Early recognition and discontinuation of the offending drug are crucial for managing drug-induced liver injury.
  • Physicians must maintain a high index of suspicion for famotidine-induced hepatitis in cases of acute liver dysfunction.

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