According to a study published in the esteemed medical journal Neurology, younger women who are taking the popular anti-seizure medication Dilantin are eight times more likely to develop significant bone loss, including osteoporosis, compared to other pre-menopausal women who do not take Dilantin, or the generic phenytoin.
Dilantin, currently marketed by Pfizer, has been used for decades despite concerns over its serious risks including its known side effects Stevens Johnson Syndrome, heart arrhythmias, and Stevens Johnson Syndrome’s more severe form, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis. This drug is widely prescribed—by some estimates 90 percent of older people with seizures are put on Dilantin because of its low cost.
This risk of osteoporosis is a huge consideration for younger women taking the drug Dilantin. According to the study, women who remain on this medication will have ongoing or significant bone loss that, over time, puts them at risk for low bone mineral density and increased bone fractures.
According to one doctor involved in the study, the effects of Dilantin on bone health were surprising. He also noted that the rate at which Dilantin causes bone loss is significant and that more patients and doctors should be aware of this serious possible risk. The study found that women taking Dilantin experienced a loss of 2.6 percent of their bone mineral density in one year, with the greatest loss occurring to the femoral neck of the hip bone.
While some doctors suggest that young women taking Dilantin add a calcium supplement to their diet, other doctors say this is not enough to help prevent Dilantin-related bone loss. The latter suggest that the drug may actually affect the absorption of calcium by the bones. These experts recommend an alternative to Dilantin for younger women.
If you or a loved one has seizures and has been prescribed Dilantin, it is important to know about the risks of osteoporosis and other serious side effects, such as Stevens Johnson Syndrome. If a loved one or someone you know is suffering from Stevens Johnson Syndrome, call our law firm to speak with one of our attorneys who have experience with this type of injury.