Acarbose and propofol: a dangerous combination?

Hepatotoxicity is a rare complication following the use of propofol and can be potentially serious if an early diagnosis is not made. Propofol is being increasingly used in daily practice, not only in surgery, but also in outpatient sedation procedures, such as endoscopy. Acarbose is a well-known drug used in type 2 diabetes treatment, particularly in the early phase. A case is reported on a patient who suffered an acute hepatitis secondary to the use of propofol in ophthalmology surgery, a hepatitis probably enhanced by prior use of acarbose, a drug that also can cause hepatotoxicity. An early diagnosis and it was resolved without complications. This case could contribute to improve pre-anesthetic evaluation of patients who will be undergoing sedation with propofol in order to avoid the possible appearance of hepatitis.