Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Acute liver failure (ALF) refers to primary damage to a previously healthy liver. It is a rare disease with an incidence of about 200-500 cases/year in Germany. The liver can recover to restitutio ad integrum or lead to death in no time despite best medical treatment. ⋯ Among drugs paracetamol and phenprocoumone are the leading cause for ALF. However, there are a couple of dietary supplements, herbs and mushroom poisoning that cause ALF. Other reasons are ischemic hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis.