Anyone unfamiliar with Dilantin uses and side effects should understand the anti-seizure medication comes with some risks.

Pfizer’s Dilantin (phenytoin) is a powerful drug often used to control epileptic seizures and to control the severe facial pain of a condition known as trigeminal neuralgia. The medication works by slowing the electric impulses in the brain that cause seizures, particularly tonic-clonic (grand mal) and complex partial (psychomotor or temporal lobe) seizures.

Dilantin Uses and Side Effects

Patients taking Dilantin might experience cerebellar atrophy, a deterioration of the cerebellum. This part of the brain is located under the cerebrum, behind the brain stem.

Dilantin has been around for nearly 60 years, and research has shown a link between the medication and cerebellar atrophy among individuals who take the medicine for a long period of time. Patients who experience drug serum levels above a normal therapeutic range are at a greater risk of cerebellar atrophy, as well.

An individual walking with an unsteady, lurching gait or exhibiting slow, unsteady or jerking movements in the arms or legs is apt to suffer from cerebellar atrophy. The condition also can be marked by slow, slurred speech and rapid, uncontrollable eye movements.

Dilantin uses and side effects can vary. Some patients can experience a serious allergic reaction that affects different areas of the body, including the liver, kidneys, blood, heart or skin. Life-threatening allergic reactions known as Stevens Johnson Syndrome or Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) can be fatal without medical intervention.

Among the signs of a serious reaction are:

• Fever
• Rash
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Swelling of face, eyes, lips or tongue
• Trouble swallowing or breathing
• Sore throat
• Sores in the mouth
• Easy bruising
• Purple or red skin spots
• Increased infections
• Not wanting to eat (anorexia)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Yellowing of skin or white parts of the eyes (jaundice)

Patients might see Dilantin uses and side effects that include softening of the bones or overgrowth of the gums over the teeth.

Dilantin Uses and Side Effects: Trigeminal Neuralgia

Patients diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia may receive a Dilantin prescription to help control the pain. Trigeminal neuralgia is severe pain in the face that affects the trigeminal nerve, which is the nerve responsible for transmitting the sensation from the face to the brain.

Trigeminal neuralgia can cause a patient to experience shooting pain from the slightest breeze touching the face, brushing the teeth, or applying makeup. The condition is more apt to affect women over 50 years of age. Unfortunately, painful attacks tend to become more frequent and intense over time.

Helping block the pain signals before they get to the brain is among the Dilantin uses outside of seizure control.

Patients who take Dilantin for any reason should be aware that even a slight dose adjustment can cause an increased risk of toxicity, which can lead to an increased risk of cerebellar atrophy and other side effects.