Dilantin Side Effects Lawsuit Prompted by Life-Threatening Allergies
Phenytoin is the
generic name for a drug marketed as Dilantin, an anti-convulsant. The
medical community employs this anti-seizure medicine to slow and stop
the damaging brain activity that sometimes follows an epileptic
seizure. It can be delivered to the body as a liquid or capsule. The
Dilantin side effects lawsuit is one recourse that patients have
following the development of Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS), a
serious, life-threatening skin disorder related to the drug. Personal injury
attorneys can help if you are considering legal action. Patients have
found that the effects of SJS arising from this anti-epileptic drug
to be painful and difficult. Some families have lost members to the
complication, since it does include the risk of death. A suit, if
successful, can help recover medical costs and the costs related to
suffering and loss. The most common
injuries include: rash, skin irritations and welts, sores of the
mucous membranes, and exfoliating skin. Since the condition affects
one of the body’s biggest sensory organs, the feeling associated
with it can be intense. Treatment usually includes a method of
enabling the body to recover, with hydration, electrolytes,
prophylactic antibiotics, and rest in a generally contained
atmosphere like an intensive care unit or burn unit if possible. Over
time, the body begins to repair the skin and rebuild a healthy,
protective layer, including mucous membranes. Eye damage is sometimes
permanent.
However, it is
imperative, once this syndrome has manifested, that the affecting
drug be stopped completely and not taken again. The medical community
believes that with most allergic responses, the body has become
“sensitized” over time and any new exposure will result in the
same or more severe reaction. Information
related to drug litigation can help those affected make an informed
decision while they consider litigation. The drug-maker
Warner-Lambert was fined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in
the amount of $10 million for issues related to quality control
during the production of the medicine between the years 1990 to 1992.
A legal case would allow you or a family member to recoup losses if
affected by taking the preventive medicine during these years. The
drug’s full name is diphenylhydantoin, in which one can see the
roots of both its generic and brand names. The German chemist
Heinrich Blitz first created the chemical in 1908 and sold it to a
drug maker who did not find any use for it. Its success in preventing
or controlling seizures was discovered in 1938, replacing
phenobarbitol, which also had a sedative effect. It is also commonly
used after brain surgery and for other purposes. If
you or a loved one taking this medication suffered the complications
of SJS, the experience may not have been an accident. Consider
learning more about previous litigation and the health issues
involved. Possible other topics related to this investigation are the
body’s allergic
reactions and TEN
- toxic epidermal necrolysis - the more dangerous form of the same
skin response. This condition has been linked to the NSAID
(Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) Ibuprofen and cox-2 inhibitor
Bextra as well. Many other drugs have been demonstrably linked to it.
For a
full list, visit the FDA’s website or check online with one of the
several associated "watchdog" groups. These sites report
cases when they become known and try to bring more consumer awareness
to the risk. If one has experienced any of these skin-related
manifestations of allergy, it is important to be cautious with
medications and observe any change in health closely. Victims have
been known to experience the disease after short drug regimens and
after taking a medicine for much longer periods.
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