The blood pressure medication Aldactazide has been found to allegedly cause individuals to develop Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) according to recent medical reports and a warning by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Aldactazide was first designed and manufactured in 1982 by GD Searle LLC as a prescription medication to treat hypertension, heart failure, edema, and prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney issues. The active ingredient in Aldactazide, and in similar generic forms of the blood pressure drugs, is spironolactone, which acts as a diuretic to help flush the body of excess salt and water, thus relaxing blood vessels and facilitating easy blood flow.

While Aldactazide is considered a generally safe drug when taken as prescribed, according to recent medical and consumer reports, it seems that the medication allegedly leads certain patients to developing the painful and often fatal skin disease known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

In 2014, eHealthMe.com gathered reports submitted to the FDA and other consumer report services regarding Aldactazide side effects. According to their report, between 2001-2003, there were four documented cases of Aldactazide consumers allegedly contracting SJS after consuming Aldactazide. All four SJS suffers were over the age of 50 and three were over the age of 60, and they reported mild to severe skin and mucous membrane lesions.

In 2011, the FDA released an Adverse Event Safety Report that informed consumers of the risk of developing SJS while taking Aldactazide. This report also stated that Aldactazide, as well as other drugs, needed to change their warning labels to inform their consumers of the risk of developing Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

What is Stevens Johnson Syndrome?

Stevens Johnson Syndroma (SJS) and another condition known as Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis are painful and serious skin reactions that can occur when an individual takes certain groups of drugs.

When a patient begins to develop SJS, a rash will form which will quickly develop into a something more serious. Eventually, the top layer of skin cells die and fall off, leaving sensitive dermis layers and mucous membranes exposed, which may lead to infection and blistering.

When SJS is caught early and the victims are given appropriate treatment, they generally make full recoveries, though they may still experience severe physical, emotional and mental trauma. In more serious cases, the shock to the body from pain and infection may lead to death.

Medications with SJS Side Effects

While a person could potentially contact an SJS or TEN allergic reaction from any medication, certain drugs have a higher prevalence of SJS victims than others. In addition to Aldactazide, these drugs include:

• Antibiotics
• Anticonvulsants
• Sulfa based drugs
• Bactrim
• Septra
• Acetamenophin
• Amoxicillan
• Azithromycin (Zithromax)
• Barbiturates
• Ibuprofen-Motrin
• Penicillin
• Naproxen