Hydralazine-induced hepatitis.

Three patients developed hepatic injury two months, ten months and two years, respectively, after hydralazine therapy for hypertension. Clinical and biochemical recovery followed discontinuation of drug therapy. Liver biopsies of the three patients revealed varying degrees of centrilobular necrosis. Complement 3 and Complement 4 levels were measured and found to be low in the patient with poor liver synthetic function, as was evident from the low serum albumin level and prolonged prothrombin time. Hydralazine-induced liver injury may be due to abnormality of drug metabolism in the liver.