| ■ Epilepsy Drugs May Cause Skin Reactions in Asian Patients: FDA | 2008.12.02 |
| Some Asian patients may suffer severe skin blisters and bleeding when treated with certain epilepsy drugs such as Dilantin, Phenytek and Cerebyx, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. Preliminary data indicate that people with a gene called HLA-B1502 may be at increased risk of developing skin problems when taking these drugs. Ten to 15 percent of people from China, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines may carry the gene, as well as 2 to 4 percent of South Asians, the Associated Press reported. Doctors should monitor patients closely, but there isn't enough information yet to recommend genetic testing, the FDA said. Many patients who develop skin problems do so in the first few months after they start taking the epilepsy drugs. Last year, the FDA recommended genetic testing for Asian patients taking the epilepsy drug carbamazepine after reports of skin reactions, the AP reported. |