Medications Used for Jaundice

Jaundice is a condition caused by increased levels of bilirubin in the blood. This results in yellowing of the skin, whites of the eyes and other mucous membranes. Treatment options vary depending on what caused the jaundice.

Causes

• Causes of jaundice can be divided into three categories: pre-hepatic, hepatic and post-hepatic. Pre-hepatic causes include malaria, spherocytosis, thalassemia, glucose-6-phospgate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD), autoimmune disorders or sickle cell crisis. Hepatic causes include hepatitis, cirrhosis, Crigler-Najjar syndrome, Gilbert's syndrome and drugs or exposure to other toxins. Post-hepatic is caused by a blockage that prevents the liver from emptying waste into the intestine.

Symptoms

• Symptoms include yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, light-colored stools, dark-colored urine and itchiness. The cause of jaundice may have other symptoms associated with it, including pain, fever, muscle weakness and swelling.

Treatment

• Treatment typically consists of supportive care and can include IV fluids, blood transfusions and radiation therapy. No medications are designed for specifically treating jaundice. However, different medications are available for treating the cause of the jaundice. Examples include anti-malarial drugs, antibiotics, deferoxamine for treating thalassemia, steroids, antiviral medications and medications for treating specific symptoms, such as pain and nausea.

Newborns

• Newborns have a high risk of developing jaundice due to having an underdeveloped liver that is not able to effectively filter bilirubin, the chemical that causes jaundice, from the blood. Jaundice typically goes away after a few days, but it if becomes worse or persists for more than two weeks, seek medical attention. Treatment for mild to moderate cases of newborn jaundice may involve formula feeding or light therapy.

Prevention

• Ways to reduce risk of jaundice include avoiding excessive alcohol consumption, getting hepatitis vaccinations, take medications that prevent malaria when traveling to a high risk area, not sharing needles if using intravenous drugs, not having unprotected sex, avoiding food and water that may be contaminated and avoiding toxins that may damage the liver.