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Researchers have discovered a medication that can be used to successfully prevent seizures in patients who have suffered stroke or traumatic brain injury.  This medication—the generic levetiracetam, marketed as Keppra—is found to be a desirable alternative to the traditional treatment Dilantin (generic phenytoin) because it presents a lower risk of side effects.  Dilantin, though available the market for decades, is known to present the risk of rare but serious side effects including severe skin diseases. (more…)

Dr. David Wetter, Mayo Clinic dermatologist, discusses various features of Stevens-Johnson syndrome based on an article published in the February 2010 issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

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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. (more…)

According to a 2008 report issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the anti-seizure medication Dilantin may increase the risk of a condition known as Purple Glove Syndrome. Though the name is odd, Purple Glove Syndrome is so named because this Dilantin side effect causes the skin of the arms to discolor and during purple, causing a patient to look as if they are wearing gloves. In addition to discoloration, Purple Glove syndrome causes pain and local swelling. (more…)

According to an FDA study, some epileptic patients of Asian descent who use dilantin are at a greater risk of developing SJS or TEN. SJS, or Steven-Johnson Syndrome, and TEN, or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, are both serious and life threatening skin conditions that have been linked to dilantin, a popular anti-seizure medication. (more…)

Sharron “Kay” Thornton, a 60 year old from Mississippi, lost her eyesight nine years ago as a result of a skin condition known as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), according to Fox News.

With hope, Thornton allowed surgeons to implant her tooth inside her eye.  This holds a prosthetic lens in place, according to Fox News from a news release.  The procedure is called modified osteo-odonto-keratoprosthesis, or MOOKP.  Thornton had this procedure performed at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. (more…)

Our Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (SJS) lawyers and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TENS) lawyers at Childers and Schlueter, LLP continue to investigate and review cases of SJS and TEN that are related to Dilantin and phenytoin use.

Dilantin and phenytoin are popular medications used for the treatment of seizures. They have shown an increased risk for developing SJS and TENS and have increased effects on African Americans based on adverse event reports submitted to the Food and Drug Administration.

According to a study by the Archives of Dermatology, many patients who have the rare skin conditions SJS or TENS also experience involvement with the eyes. Because ocular involvement is found in many patients with SJS and TEN, those using Dilantin may have a higher chance of getting ocular involvement when compared to other known SJS causing drugs. (more…)

What is Dilantin?

Dilantin is a drug used for the prevention and treatment of seizures. However, it is not used to treat all seizures. The drug slows down your brain impulses that cause seizures.

What are the side effects?

Below are the most common side effects from taking Dilantin:

• Slurred speech
• Mental confusion
• Decreased coordination
• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Nervousness
• Headaches
• Motor twitching
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Toxic hepatitis
• Liver damage
• Hypersensitivity syndrome
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Recent reports and studies have shown that a very popular antiepileptic drug, Dilantin (phenytoin), has been definitively linked to the onset of Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and/or Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). Dilantin, manufactured by Pfizer, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of temporal lobe seizures and grand mal seizures. Dilantin is also commonly used to treat and prevent the onset of seizures after a major brain or spinal surgery. Other names for Dilantin include: Dilantin Infatabs, Dilantin Kapseals, Dilantin-125, Phenytek, and Phenytoin Sodium.

In many instances, the consumer sees visible manifestations of the SJS/TEN reaction within a few days of starting the anti-seizure medication. Others may not see or realize the manifestations of the reaction due to Dilantin until weeks later. Typically the reaction starts out with symptoms such as headaches, sore throat, trouble breathing, itchy or irritated eyes, blistered lips, and/or the onset of a skin rash. In time the condition only gets worse, especially if the ingestion of the inducing drug is not stopped immediately.

It is critical once these symptoms arise to seek medical attention immediately. When dealing with SJS and TEN, the sooner the reaction is diagnosed the better apt providers will be to address the often deadly condition.