Treatment Overview

The appearance of jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and eyes is often alarming, serving as a visual indicator that something is not right within the body. While jaundice itself is a symptom, its presence signals an underlying issue related to the body’s inability to process or excrete bilirubin, a yellow pigment created when red blood cells break down. Depending on the severity and cause, jaundice can cause fatigue, itching, or simply significant worry about liver health.

Treatment is crucial not only to clear the yellow discoloration but, more importantly, to address the underlying cause and prevent complications like liver damage or dangerous buildup of bilirubin in the brain (in newborns). The approach to treatment varies dramatically, depending on whether the cause is a blood disorder, a liver disease, or a blockage in the bile ducts. Therefore, medication choices are highly specific to the individual’s diagnosis (MedlinePlus, 2023).

Overview of treatment options for Jaundice

The main goal in treating jaundice is to diagnose and manage the primary condition responsible for the high bilirubin levels. For adults, this involves targeting hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, or bile duct blockages. For newborns, the primary goal is rapid reduction of bilirubin levels to prevent neurological damage.

The strategy involves both non-pharmacological interventions and medication. For infants, phototherapy (light therapy) is the first-line treatment, using light to break down bilirubin. For adults, treatment may involve antibiotics to clear infections, steroids to reduce inflammation, or procedures, such as endoscopy, to clear blockages in the bile ducts. Medications play a key role in supporting liver function and managing associated symptoms like severe itching.

Medications used for Jaundice

The drug classes used for jaundice are dictated entirely by the root cause:

  • For Hemolytic Jaundice (Excessive Red Blood Cell Breakdown): This type is treated by managing the underlying condition, such as administering corticosteroids (like prednisone) to suppress the immune system if an autoimmune disorder is destroying red blood cells. Immunosuppressants may also be used long-term in chronic cases.
  • For Obstructive Jaundice (Bile Duct Blockage): While surgical or endoscopic procedures are the definitive treatment, Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) is sometimes prescribed, especially in chronic cholestatic liver diseases like Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC). UDCA helps thin the bile, allowing it to flow more easily.
  • For Neonatal Jaundice (Infants): In cases where phototherapy is ineffective or the bilirubin levels are extremely high, infants may receive an intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) infusion if the jaundice is due to blood group incompatibility. IVIg helps reduce the destruction of red blood cells.

Separately, medications are often used to relieve severe itching (pruritus) caused by bilirubin or bile acid buildup. These symptom-relieving medications include cholestyramine, which binds bile acids in the intestine, and rifampin, which can help modulate liver enzymes (American Liver Foundation, 2022).

How these medications work

Drug classes treat conditions by either breaking down blood cells or regulating bile flow.

Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatories and immunosuppressants. They calm the immune system, preventing attacks on red blood cells, which reduces bilirubin production.

Ursodeoxycholic Acid (UDCA) modifies bile composition. It helps the liver secrete less toxic bile acids and increases bile flow, relieving pressure and damage from blocked bile ducts.

Cholestyramine and rifampin offer symptom relief without treating the underlying cause. Cholestyramine binds itch-contributing bile acids in the gut for removal. Rifampin is thought to encourage the breakdown or clearance of substances that cause severe itching (National Institutes of Health, 2023).

Side effects and safety considerations

Jaundice treatment side effects vary by medication. Long-term corticosteroid use risks weight gain, mood swings, and weakened immunity. Ursodeoxycholic Acid can cause diarrhea.

Cholestyramine may cause constipation or bloating and interfere with other drug absorption, requiring timed doses. Oral rifampin risks liver toxicity and turns bodily fluids orange-red. For any liver-affecting treatment, regular blood work is vital to monitor liver enzymes and bilirubin. Patients should seek immediate medical help for signs of worsening liver function, like severe nausea, abdominal swelling, or dark urine.

Since everyone’s experience with the condition and its treatments can vary, working closely with a qualified healthcare provider helps ensure safe and effective care.

References

  1. American Liver Foundation. https://liverfoundation.org
  2. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org
  3. MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov
  4. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nih.gov

Medications for Jaundice

These are drugs that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meaning they have been determined to be safe and effective for use in Jaundice.

Found 2 Approved Drugs for Jaundice

CefTRIAXone

Generic Name
CefTRIAXone

CefTRIAXone

Generic Name
CefTRIAXone
Form: Injection
Method of administration: Intravenous, Intramuscular
FDA approval date: April 20, 2005
Classification: Cephalosporin Antibacterial
Before instituting treatment with ceftriaxone, appropriate specimens should be obtained for isolation of the causative organism and for determination of its susceptibility to the drug. Therapy may be instituted prior to obtaining results of susceptibility testing. To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of ceftriaxone for injection, USP and other antibacterial drugs, ceftriaxone for injection, USP should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. In the absence of such data, local epidemiology and susceptibility patterns may contribute to the empiric selection of therapy. Ceftriaxone for injection, USP is indicated for the treatment of the following infections when caused by susceptible organisms: Lower Respiratory Tract Infections Caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Proteus mirabilis or Serratia marcescens. Acute Bacterial Otitis Media Caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae (including beta-lactamase producing strains) or Moraxella catarrhalis (including beta-lactamase producing strains). NOTE: In one study lower clinical cure rates were observed with a single dose of ceftriaxone compared to 10 days of oral therapy. In a second study comparable cure rates were observed between single dose ceftriaxone and the comparator. The potentially lower clinical cure rate of ceftriaxone should be balanced against the potential advantages of parenteral therapy. Skin and Skin Structure Infections Caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Viridans group streptococci, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Morganella morganii*, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Bacteroides fragilis * or Peptostreptococcus species. Urinary Tract Infections (complicated and uncomplicated) Caused by Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Morganella morganii or Klebsiella pneumoniae. Uncomplicated Gonorrhea (cervical/urethral and rectal) Caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae, including both penicillinase- and nonpenicillinase-producing strains, and pharyngeal gonorrhea caused by nonpenicillinase-producing strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Ceftriaxone sodium, like other cephalosporins, has no activity against Chlamydia trachomatis. Therefore, when cephalosporins are used in the treatment of patients with pelvic inflammatory disease and Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the suspected pathogens, appropriate antichlamydial coverage should be added. Bacterial Septicemia Caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae or Klebsiella pneumoniae. Bone and Joint Infections Caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae or Enterobacter species. Intra-abdominal Infections Caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacteroides fragilis, Clostridium species (Note: most strains of Clostridium difficile are resistant) or Peptostreptococcus species. Meningitis Caused by Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria meningitidis or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Ceftriaxone has also been used successfully in a limited number of cases of meningitis and shunt infection caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis * and Escherichia coli*. * Efficacy for this organism in this organ system was studied in fewer than ten infections. Surgical Prophylaxis The preoperative administration of a single 1 g dose of ceftriaxone may reduce the incidence of postoperative infections in patients undergoing surgical procedures classified as contaminated or potentially contaminated (e.g., vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy or cholecystectomy for chronic calculous cholecystitis in high-risk patients, such as those over 70 years of age, with acute cholecystitis not requiring therapeutic antimicrobials, obstructive jaundice or common duct bile stones) and in surgical patients for whom infection at the operative site would present serious risk (e.g., during coronary artery bypass surgery). Although ceftriaxone has been shown to have been as effective as cefazolin in the prevention of infection following coronary artery bypass surgery, no placebo-controlled trials have been conducted to evaluate any cephalosporin antibiotic in the prevention of infection following coronary artery bypass surgery. When administered prior to surgical procedures for which it is indicated, a single 1 g dose of ceftriaxone provides protection from most infections due to susceptible organisms throughout the course of the procedure.

CeFAZolin

Generic Name
CeFAZolin

CeFAZolin

Generic Name
CeFAZolin
Form: Injection, Powder, Solution
Method of administration: Intravenous, Parenteral, Intramuscular
FDA approval date: December 09, 1988
Classification: Cephalosporin Antibacterial
To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of Cefazolin for Injection, USP and other antibacterial drugs, Cefazolin for Injection, USP should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. In the absence of such data, local epidemiology and susceptibility patterns may contribute to the empiric selection of therapy. Cefazolin for Injection, USP is indicated for the treatment of the following serious infections due to susceptible organisms. Cefazolin for Injection, USP is a cephalosporin antibacterial indicated in the treatment of the following infections caused by susceptible isolates of the designated microorganisms: Respiratory tract infections.
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