Bextra and
Stevens-Johnson Syndrome
 FREE Case Review
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| Stevens-Johnson Syndrome*, or SJS, is a very serious skin condition where the mucous membranes surrounding the skin become irritated and inflamed. Some of these reactions are extremely debilitating, and 15% of the reported cases result in fatalities. Most drugs that cause SJS are in a group called sulfonamides, a class of antimicrobial drugs first introduced for soldiers to use on wounds in the Second World War. This reaction was common enough that the Food and Drug Administration mandated that any products containing “sulfa” carry a warning advising about this potentially fatal condition. Some Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) such as Bextra are known to trigger this reaction as well. It was the increased risk for developing SJS combined with the potential cardiovascular incidents that influenced the FDA to ask the pharmaceutical company Pfizer to remove Bextra from American and European markets.
SJS is one of the most debilitating and tragic adverse drug reactions. The syndrome begins with flu-like symptoms which are easily misdiagnosed or ignored. As the membranes underneath the skin become more and more irritated, the skin turns red and blotchy, and eventually this inflammation can overwhelm the entire body. In more severe cases, the irritation spreads into the eyes, causing what is called “dry-eye syndrome,” which can result in permanent blindness. Also, many patients’ pores are so scarred by SJS that they lose the ability to sweat, which causes victims to retain dangerous levels of heat. If left untreated, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome will be fatal. It often takes years to reduce the visual effects of SJS, but everyone touched by this tragic condition will carry scars that will never heal.
* incorrect spellings for Stevens-Johnson Syndrome include Steven Johnson Syndrome, Steven Johnson`s Syndrome and Steven-Johnsons Syndrome
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