Dilantin Lawsuit

What is Dilantin?

As the brand name of Phenytoin, Dilantin is used to control, treat and prevent certain types of seizures that begin during or following surgery to the nervous system or brain. Dilantin belongs to a class of medications called anticonvulsants; the drug is effective by decreasing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.

Dilantin is the injection form of Phenytoin and has been known to yield the following side effects:

Dilantin Side Effects:

Dilantin side effects may occur regardless of your dosage levels or adherence to intake instructions. As a general Dilantin side effect, the drug may cause an increase in your blood sugar levels. Please talk to your doctor concerning the below Dilantin side effects:

· Common Dilantin Side Effects: difficulty falling or staying asleep; confusion; slower thinking; vomiting; unwanted hair growth; enlargement of lips; curving or pain in the penis; overgrowth of gums; vomiting; constipation; nausea; headache; slurred speech; slowed thinking

Some Dilantin side effects may be severe. If you experience the following Dilantin side effects, please seek immediate medical help:

· Serious Dilantin Side Effects: fever; blisters; swollen glands; yellowing of the eyes or skin; unusual bleeding or bruising; loss of appetite; pain in the upper portion of the stomach; joint pain; flu symptoms.

Dilantin side effects may take other forms. Please contact your doctor if you experience any adverse reaction while using Dilantin.

If you experience serious Dilantin side effects, you or your doctor may file a report to the United States Food and Drug Administration’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program by phone at 1-800-332-1088 or online at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch.

Dilantin FDA Regulations:

The following information concerns Dilantin FDA Regulations, which are instituted by the federal agency to warn manufacturers, healthcare professionals and the general public of the risks associated with prescription drugs. The most important Dilantin FDA regulation is the Boxed Warning. This Dilantin FDA regulation is placed directly placed on the drug’s packaging materials to warn consumers of the following risks:

· Dilantin FDA Regulation Boxed Warning: This Dilantin FDA regulation states that cardiovascular risk is associated with rapid infusion of Dilantin. When administered via IV, the Dilantin dose should not exceed 50 mg per minute in adults and 1-3 mg in pediatric patients. This Dilantin FDA regulation regarding dosage strength is implemented because of the risk of severe cardiac arrhythmias and hypotension. Cardiac monitoring is required during and after IV administration of Dilantin. Risks of cardiovascular toxicity increases with IV administration beyond the recommended dose; however, these risks have been reported at or below the recommended infusion rate.

· Another Dilantin FDA regulation warns of Serious Dermatologic Reactions. If a rash forms, the patient must be evaluated for signs and symptoms of Eosinophilla. The most common skin reactions caused by the drug—and the medical condition that prompts the bulk of Dilantin lawsuits—is Stevens - Johnson syndrome.

Dilantin Lawsuits:

As stated above, the wide majority of Dilantin lawsuits stem from the development of Stevens Johnson Syndrome and it’s more severe cousin—Epidermal Necrosis Syndrome. Stevens Johnson Syndrome is a skin disorder that typically results from an allergic reaction to over-the-counter medication. The condition, which promotes cell death, is fatal in roughly 15% of cases. Early symptoms include fever, headaches, sore throat. As the disease evolves, the patient will suffer from blisters and skin lesions. If the lesions adhere to the sufferer’s lungs, the condition may cause death. In addition to this condition, numerous Dilantin lawsuits have been filed as a result of birth defects.

Dilantin side effects of taking the drug during pregnancy may cause life threatening consequences. Those who experience these Dilantin side effects are encouraged to filing Dilantin lawsuits. If successful, the Dilantin lawsuit will provide a Dilantin settlement to offset the costs associated with the condition-- Dilantin settlements are used to offset lost wages from missed work, medical expenses and pain and suffering.

Dilantin lawsuits, just last year, developed into a smaller-scale mass tort, as dozens of individual Dilantin lawsuits were recently filed claiming that the drug caused horrendous and life-altering skin burns. These Dilantin lawsuits allege that the drug accused Stevens Johnson Syndrome and its more severe offspring, Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.

Plaintiffs in these Dilantin lawsuits are proceeding individually and there are no plans to petition for multidistrict litigation. Various legal professionals estimate around 300 Dilantin lawsuits alleging similar actions have been filed throughout the United States. None of these Dilantin lawsuits have formally gone to trial as Pfizer has opted to resolve a number of cases for confidential Dilantin settlements.

In October of last year, a Dilantin lawsuit filed by the family of a 9 year-old girl who died after being treated with Dilantin, procured a Dilantin settlement against Pfizer for $3.78 million. In addition to these Dilantin lawsuit examples, a number of other cases have been filed against Pfizer for the drug’s severe side effects. If you have been injured as a result of Dilantin use, please contact a drug, product liability or pharmaceutical doctor concerning your legal options.

Your ability to procure Dilantin settlements is dependent on you definitively proving the following: you must affirm that use of Dilantin directly caused your injury and that you were not properly warned of said injury. That being said, if you suffer a life-altering Dilantin side effect—such as Stevens Johnson Syndrome—you will not be required to prove insufficient warning. If you file a successful suit, Dilantin settlements will be awarded to offset the costs of your medical condition-- Dilantin settlements are used to remunerate for medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost wages due to missed work.

Sources:

1.http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/SafetyInformation/ucm243476.htm

2.http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm124788.htm

3.United States National Library of Medicine “Phenytoin” retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000549/