Risk factors

Factors that may increase your risk of toxic hepatitis include:

• Taking over-the-counter pain relievers or certain prescription drugs. Taking a medication or over-the-counter pain reliever that carries a risk of liver damage increases your risk of toxic hepatitis. This is especially true if you take multiple medications or take more than the recommended dose of medication.
• Having a liver disease. Having a serious liver disorder such as cirrhosis or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease makes you much more susceptible to the effects of toxins.
• Having hepatitis. Chronic infection with a hepatitis virus (hepatitis B, hepatitis C or one of the other — extremely rare — hepatitis viruses that may persist in the body) makes your liver more vulnerable.
• Aging. As you age, your liver breaks down harmful substances more slowly. This means that toxins and their byproducts stay in your body longer.
• Drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol while taking medications or certain herbal supplements increases the risk of toxicity.
• Being female. Because women seem to metabolize certain toxins more slowly than men do, their livers are exposed to higher blood concentrations of harmful substances for a longer time. This increases the risk of toxic hepatitis.
• Having certain genetic mutations. Inheriting certain genetic mutations that affect the production and action of the liver enzymes that break down toxins may make you more susceptible to toxic hepatitis.
• Working with industrial toxins. Working with certain industrial chemicals puts you at risk of toxic hepatitis.