Breath with a Strong, Musty, or Sweet Odor
Liver disease patients often have musty-smelling breath. This condition, called fetor hepaticus, is a sign of decreased liver function.
Remember that one of the primary roles of the liver is getting rid of harmful substances, poisons, and toxins in the bloodstream. When it fails to play the part, toxic and sulfur substances circulate and make their way into the lungs. So when patients with liver failure exhale, their breath has a distinct smell. Some even dubbed this musty breath odor as the “breath of the dead” since most patients with fetor hepaticus already have severe liver disease and failure, which can be life-threatening.
People associate the musty breath odor with a combination of rotten eggs and garlic. Sometimes, they say it is rather sweet.
Treating fetor hepaticus relies on how well the liver functions. Therefore, the patient should work with a medical expert to manage the underlying liver disease to improve the symptom, along with yellowing of the skin and eyes, swollen belly and legs, and easy bruising.
