Which monitoring is essential for antibiotics with potential hepatotoxicity?

• A. Blood Glucose Levels
• B. Serum Creatinine
• C. Liver Function Tests
• D. Lipid Profile

Answer: (C)

Monitoring liver function is essential when using antibiotics that can cause liver injury. These drugs can affect the liver, so checking liver tests helps detect damage early. Baseline measurements are taken before starting therapy, then repeated during treatment. Liver function tests look at enzymes like AST and ALT to detect hepatocellular injury, as well as alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin to identify cholestasis or bile flow issues. If these values rise significantly or if the patient develops symptoms such as jaundice, fatigue, right upper quadrant pain, or dark urine, the clinician may stop or adjust the antibiotic. Other tests like serum creatinine assess kidney function, not liver toxicity, and blood glucose or lipid panels monitor different health aspects, so they don’t specifically address hepatotoxic risk from these antibiotics.