Posts Tagged 'emergency'

$10 million Stevens Johnson syndrome verdict upheld

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro has upheld a $10 million verdict against Johnson & Johnson, according to the Legal Intelligencer.

Plaintiff Brianna M was 13 in 2011 when a jury awarded the $10 million in compensatory damages for injuries she suffered 10 years earlier.

When M was 3, she had a fever and was given doses of Johnson & Johnson’s Children’s Motrin, in alternation with over-the-counter Children’s Tylenol.

As a result, she suffered a serious skin condition known ...

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Take precautions against recurrence of Stevens-Johnson syndrome

If you’ve suffered a bout of Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a condition that can cause the top layer of skin to shed and die, the Mayo Clinic recommends that you take steps to make sure it doesn’t recur.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is usually an allergic reaction in response to medication, infection and illness, which can be extremely painful and cause long-term, debilitating effects.

But even more worrying, according to the Mayo Clinic, is that a recurrence is usually more severe than the first episode and ...

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Different drugs used in treatment of Stevens-Johnson syndrome

If you’re diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, according to the Mayo Clinic, you may receive one of the following varieties of medication currently being studied in the treatment of the condition:

Intravenous corticosteroids — For adults, intravenous corticosteroids may lessen the severity of symptoms and shorten recovery time if started within a day or two of the first appearance of symptoms. But they may also increase risk of complications for children.

Immunoglobulin intravenous (IVIG) — This medication contains antibodies that may help the ...

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Stevens Johnson Syndrome can cause lingering effects

Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which can cause the top layer of skin to shed and die, is a painful and potentially deadly condition usually caused by an allergic reaction to medication, infection or illness.

It requires hospitalization, frequently in an intensive care unit or burn unit. But according to the Stevens Johnson Syndrome Foundation, patients who suffer a bout may have to contend with the after-effects for a long time afterward – perhaps the rest of their lives.

Lingering side effects may include:

  • Permanent loss ...
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Hepatitis drug Incivek linked to Stevens-Johnson Syndrome

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning that the hepatitis C drug Incivek, manufactured by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., can cause serious and potentially deadly skin reactions.

Vertex has placed a “black box warning” – the most serious available – on the drug’s label, Reuters reports.

According to the Reuters story, skin rashes were already a known side effect of the drug. The warning came in response to an analysis of data collected since the drug was approved in the ...

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Treatment complicated for Stevens Johnson syndrome

The Mayo Clinic says doctors can frequently identify Stevens-Johnson syndrome based on medical history, a physical exam and the condition’s distinctive signs and symptoms. Doctors may also take a skin sample for examination under a microscope.

However it’s diagnosed, Stevens-Johnson syndrome is considered a medical emergency and requires hospitalization, frequently in an intensive care unit or burn unit. It’s usually an allergic reaction in response to medication, infection or illness, and can cause the top layer of skin to shed and ...

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