Conditions and symptoms
What Does Hepatic Dysfunction Mean on a Medicine Label?
Hepatic dysfunction · say it: hih-PAT-ik dis-FUNK-shunAlso written: liver dysfunction, hepatic impairment, abnormal liver function, impaired liver function
Short answer
Hepatic dysfunction means the liver is not working as well as it should, which can affect how the body handles many medicines.
What it means
Hepatic means to do with the liver. Hepatic dysfunction means reduced or abnormal liver function. It can be mild and temporary, such as raised liver enzymes during an illness, or long-term, as in cirrhosis. It may be found on blood tests (such as ALT, AST, bilirubin, albumin and INR) before any symptoms appear. Yellow skin or eyes, confusion or vomiting blood need urgent help.
Labels mention hepatic dysfunction or 'hepatic impairment' because the liver breaks down many medicines. When it works less well, medicines can build up, so the dose may need lowering or the medicine may be avoided. Labels may also say to check liver tests before or during treatment, and to stop if liver problems develop.
Raised liver enzymes on a blood test show possible liver stress or injury, but do not always mean the liver is failing to do its job. Doctors look at several results together.
Where you may see it
- 'Use in specific populations: hepatic impairment' sections of labels
- Patient leaflets ('Tell your doctor if you have liver problems')
- Liver function test reports
📄 How it looks on a report
Use with caution in patients with hepatic dysfunction; dose reduction may be necessary.
🙅 What it does not mean
- A single raised liver test does not always mean liver disease.
- It does not mean every medicine is unsuitable for you.
- It does not always mean something serious or permanent.
🎯 Check yourself
Which of these is the right meaning of “Hepatic dysfunction”?
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Hepatic dysfunction”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Albendazole
an anthelmintic drug, a medicine used to treat infections caused by parasitic worms
- Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium
A penicillin-class antibacterial combined with a beta-lactamase inhibitor, as the label describes it
- Azithromycin
a macrolide antibacterial (antibiotic) medicine
- Carvedilol
A beta-blocker. The FDA lists it as both an alpha-adrenergic blocker and a beta-adrenergic blocker.
- Ciprofloxacin
a fluoroquinolone antibacterial medicine
- Divalproex Sodium
An anti-epileptic (anti-seizure) drug of the valproate type. The label also uses it to treat manic episodes of bipolar disorder and to prevent migraine headaches.
- Hydrochlorothiazide
A thiazide diuretic, a type of medicine often called a 'water pill'
- Nitrofurantoin
an antibacterial medicine of the nitrofuran type, used for urinary tract infections
- Rifampin
an antibiotic of the rifamycin type
- Rosuvastatin
a cholesterol-lowering medicine of the statin type (an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor)
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Hepatic dysfunction” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.