Pfizer’s Dilantin (phenytoin) is an anticonvulsant that works by interfering with the impulses in the brain that cause seizures.

The October 2013 issue of the Journal of Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics reports that 14 of 73 patients experienced a Dilantin skin reaction that progressed to Stevens Johnson Syndrome in a case-controlled study. Another cited study looked at 10 years of hospitalizations, and 13.04 percent were due to Dilantin-caused SJS.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a severe immune system reaction that usually begins with flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, cough and burning eyes. It is almost exclusively known as an allergic reaction to medication.

Emergency medical care should be sought immediately if Stevens Johnson-specific symptoms arise. These include blisters on the skin and mucous membranes, hives, swollen face, itching, swollen tongue or a red or purple raised rash.

If even one purple or red raised spot appears on the body, contact your doctor. Stevens Johnson Syndrome often progresses quickly.

People who have experienced the condition feel they are experiencing chemical burns from the inside out. Some patients are placed in a medically induced coma to cope with the pain.

Between five to 15 percent of cases are fatal. Researchers are unsure why some patients are more susceptible to Stevens Johnson Syndrome, and some experts recommend that a warning of a Dilantin skin reaction plus SJS symptoms be added to the drug’s label.

Dilantin Skin Reaction Can Become TEN

A Dilantin skin reaction that becomes SJS can worsen, becoming a condition known as Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN). This progression of symptoms results in victims losing large sheets of skin that come off of the body, leaving the tissue vulnerable to infection, including the blood infection known as sepsis. An increased number of painful sores can continue to develop in the mouth, eyes and other mucous membranes.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome is more common in males, and the mean age group of 10 to 40 years old. Unfortunately, there is no test to find out if a patient is more susceptible to SJS, but anyone who has developed a rash to a medication is advised to avoid the medication and others within its class.

When a Dilantin skin reaction becomes SJS and TEN, the patient is treated almost identically to a traditionally burned person.

Once SJS has begun, the offending medication is withdrawn and the patient can be placed on steroidal anti-inflammatory medications to help calm the reaction. Doctors concentrate on keeping infection at bay and keeping the patient as comfortable as possible.

If you or someone you know suffered a Dilantin skin reaction, contact your doctor immediately. If you or someone you know has already endured a Dilantin skin rash, a consultation with an attorney could result in receiving appropriate compensation.