The popular antiepileptic drug Dilantin has been directly linked to Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), which are allergic reactions that can develop into life threatening skin diseases.

The Dilantin SJS reaction causes skin rashes, peeling, sores, and open wounds. Other symptoms include: Facial swelling; red or purple skin rash; skin pain; swelling of the tongue; peeling or shedding of the skin in sheets; hives; flu symptoms; and/or permanent eye problems.

Dilantin and Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Dilantin was approved by the FDA in 1953 and became the first modern drug intended to treat seizures. Alarmingly, reports of SJS induced by Dilantin were released as early as the 1930s, although the drug is currently one of the most widely prescribed anti-seizure medications in the United States. Dilantin controls seizures by slowing down brain impulses and reducing the maximum activity of brain stem cells responsible for seizures.

SJS is a life-threatening skin disease, and initial symptoms may include fever, sore throat, and headache. The disease progresses into skin lesions and blisters around the mouth, throat, eyes, genital tract, and intestines.

If it is not treated right away, SJS causes the skin to fall off in large chunks, similar to a severe burn. SJS patients are frequently treated in burn units, and many claim the disease is even beyond third-degree burns.

Dilantin SJS is estimated to be fatal in about 15 percent of cases. Deaths occur if the skin lesions become infected, or if patients develop lesions in the lungs. Stanford Hospital estimates that one in ten thousand Dilantin patients will suffer a serious SJS reaction.

SJS often leads to TEN, a more severe form of SJS which occurs when 30 percent or more of the body’s skin is burned off. TEN is an emergency medical condition that almost always requires immediate hospitalization.

The condition causes skin to deteriorate and detach from the body, especially on the back. Patients at risk of developing SJS and TEN often first produce an unexplained rash.

In a 2008 Health Alert, the FDA cited that Dilantin had an increased risk of SJS and TEN in patients with Asian ancestry. Other patients at higher risk for SJS and TEN include African Americans, those with a family history of the syndromes, and immuno-suppressed patients.

African and Asian Americans are particularly susceptible because of a specific gene that stimulates the immune system into overdrive when the drug is metabolizing. This reportedly destroys healthy skin cells at an incredibly rapid pace.

Dilantin SJS Lawsuits

Dilantin is manufactured by Pfizer, which has been subject to hundreds of Dilantin lawsuits in the past few years. In 2011, for example, the family of a child received a $3.78 million settlement against Pfizer after their a nine-year old daughter died after taking Dilantin for under one month.

Eight other companies manufacture generics of Dilantin, including Mylan Pharmaceuticals and Baxter Healthcare.

Many Dilantin SJS lawsuits allege that Pfizer and other drug companies knowingly concealed the increased risk of TEN and SJS development from American consumers.

If you or someone you love suffered from Stevens Johnson Syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis as a result of taking Dilantin, you may be eligible to file a Dilantin SJS lawsuit.