Heartburn Medication Protonix Linked to Stevens Johnson Syndrome

Protonix, a drug prescribed to treat heartburn and other problems related to the stomach and esophagus, has been linked to the adverse side effect of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS).

The healthcare data website eHealthMe.com recently did a review of SJS cases among those who took Protonix and found that out of the 26,306 people who had reported Protonix side effects from the stomach acid medication, 285 of those people developed SJS from 1998 through 2012, which is 1.08 percent of those with negative side effects.

Seventy-four percent of those diagnosed with SJS developed the adverse side effect after taking Protonix for less than one month. Twenty-four percent developed it after taking the medication from one to six months, and less than two percent developed it after one to five years of taking the medication.

More than half of Protonix SJS patients were female at 56 percent to 44 percent male. However, those who developed SJS while taking Protonix did not have very severe reactions.

Over 91 percent of those who developed SJS were 40 years or older, 80 percent were 50 years or older and 55 percent were over 60 years of age.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome cases resulting from Protonix peaked in 2008 with 65 reported cases. The next highest year was 2011 with 50 cases.

The drugs most commonly combined at the same time as Protonix when Stevens Johnson developed were pantoprazole sodium, which is the intravenous version of Protonix; the antibiotic vancomycin; acetaminophen, most commonly known as Tylenol; metoclopramide, another heartburn medicine also known as Reglan; and the anti-inflammatory medication prednisolone.

Common side effects of Protonix include nausea, breathing difficulty, diarrhea and vomiting. Protonix is in a class of heartburn medications known as proton pump inhibitors. It has also been shown to have an increased risk of hip, wrist or spine fractures, interference with the blood-clotting properties of the heart disease medication Plavix, and increased risk of a serious cardiac event.

Stevens Johnson Syndrome usually starts out with flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and headache. The skin rash may initially start out as hives, but blisters will begin to develop on the skin and mucous membranes, especially the mouth, nose, and eyes. It usually culminates in the shedding of the skin–which means that the top layer of the skin has died. Eating, sleeping, urinating and even breathing can all become difficult. If blisters develop on the eye–it can cause blindness.

It is fatal in about 5 percent of patients who contract it. Lesions can develop on internal organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, or liver, causing inflammation on those organs. It can also cause sepsis, a condition in which the bacteria from the infection enters the bloodstream. It can take months to recover from and can leave lasting damage.

If you or someone you know has developed Stevens Johnson Syndrome after taking Protonix or another medication, legal options are available to you. Learn more and get a free legal consultation regarding a claim’s eligibility at the Stevens Johnson (SJS) & Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Class Action Lawsuit Settlement Investigation. Experienced legal professionals have access to medical experts to assess whether or not this heartburn medication played a role in your severe skin reaction or other serious side effect, so act now.