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Very few people are aware of the devastating and potentially deadly skin disease Stevens Johnson Syndrome. The Stevens Johnson Syndrome Foundation is trying to change this with efforts to raise awareness of the disease and by working to create a national system to track incidence of it.
With the high number of drug side effects that consumers are worried about, skin reactions rank pretty low amidst drug safety concerns like heart attacks and stroke. The rare condition afflicts roughly 600 to 2,000 Americans every year, but no one tracks cases nationally and the disease is often initially misdiagnosed. Rarity of the disease should also not be overshadowed by the fact that Stevens Johnson Syndrome blinds or kills in 10 to 30 percent of cases.
In order to begin treatment for Stevens Johnson Syndrome, a timely and correct diagnosis must first be made. Symptoms of Stevens Johnson Syndrome will typically appear within a week of beginning a new drug. Patients often experience lesions on mucous membranes and itchy, painful sores and blotches on the skin. Should a rash ever appear after beginning a new drug, patients are advised to immediately discontinue drug use and seek medical attention.
Continuing to take the drug instead of getting treatment for Stevens Johnson Syndrome can allow the skin disease to continue attacking the skin and mucous membranes, which can lead to blindness or death. The Stevens Johnson Syndrome Foundation says adverse drug reactions cause 150,000 deaths per year, and just one percent of all reactions are ever reported to the FDA.
Treatment for Stevens Johnson Syndrome can include antibiotic treatments for inflamed areas. By administering antibiotic treatment for Stevens Johnson Syndrome to the eyes, scarring can be prevented or minimized. In some cases, oral or intravenous steroids are used for treatment of Stevens Johnson Syndrome to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
Early detection is not only important to lessen symptoms and improve the prognosis of the skin disease, but also to lessen the fees associated to treatment of Stevens Johnson Syndrome. Intravenous immunoglobulin boosts the immune system with concentrated antibodies from donor blood and is used for the treatment of Stevens Johnson Syndrome. This treatment method costs between $3,000 and $9,000 per dose.
Any drug use can theoretically result in Stevens Johnson Syndrome, but drugs containing sulfa, including the antibiotic Bactrim, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like COX-2 inhibitors and ibuprofen, anticonvulsives like Dilantin and antigout drugs like Allopurinaol, have been most often associated to the disease. Allegations that over-the-counter medications have caused Stevens Johnson Syndrome have turned into lawsuits.
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