Jaundice occurs when your skin, mucous membranes or eyes turn yellow from a yellow pigmented substance called bilirubin. About 1 percent of your red blood cells retire each day, states the University of Maryland Medical Center. These retiring cells are processed by the liver. If the liver is not functioning properly or if the liver cannot handle the number of retiring cells, bilirubin accumulates and produces jaundice. Jaundice is not a distinct disease, it is a symptom of other illnesses.
Cirrhosis
Jaundice can be caused by the occurrence of cirrhosis, or liver disease. Alcoholic cirrhosis is a common cause of jaundice because of the damage the liver has sustained from continued, prolonged alcohol use. Patients diagnosed with primary biliary cirrhosis may also develop jaundice. Primary biliary cirrhosis occurs when the bile ducts of the liver become irritated or swollen, blocking the flow of bile.
Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases such as autoimmune hepatitis can cause the development of jaundice. Autoimmune hepatitis occurs when immune cells mistake the liver's cell as harmful cells and attack them, causing the liver to become inflamed. Hemolytic anemia, another autoimmune disease, can also cause jaundice. Hemolytic anemia occurs when red blood cells are destroyed prematurely creating a deficiency of red blood cells in the body. The viruses that cause hepatitis A, B, C, D and E as well as drug-induced hepatitis (a condition that stems from taking hepatitis medications) are all sources of jaundice as well.
Other Forms of Jaundice
There are alternate forms of jaundice that don't typically have standard signs or symptoms and are usually detected due to their connection with other illnesses or conditions you may be experiencing. Ischemid hepatocellular jaundice is a form of jaundice caused by a deficiency of oxygen in your blood. Intraheptic cholestasis of pregnancy occurs when bile accumulates in the gallbladder because of pressure on the abdomen or abdominals during pregnancy.
Cholestasis
Cholestasis is the blockage of bile to the liver. A common cause of jaundice is drug-induced cholestasis. Drug-induced cholestasis occurs when the flow of bile to the liver is blocked as a result of various medications you may be taking.
