What Is Dilantin (Phenytoin)?
Dilantin is the brand name of the drug phenytoin, which is used to treat seizures. The medication is also used to prevent seizures after brain surgery
The drug is in a class of medications known as anticonvulsants. It works by decreasing abnormal electrical activity in the brain.
Dilantin
was originally approved for use in seizures by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) in 1953 and is manufactured by Pfizer, Inc.
Dilantin Warnings
You
shouldn't take Dilantin if you also take delavirdine (Rescriptor), or
if you are allergic to phenytoin, ethotoin (Peganone), fosphenytoin
(Cerebyx), or mephenytoin (Mesantoin).
This
medication may change your mental health in unexpected ways. Some
people who take Dilantin become suicidal. You or your caregiver should
tell your doctor right away if you experience any of the following
symptoms:
- Thinking or talking about suicide
- Agitation or restlessness
- Irritability
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Violent behavior
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Mania (an abnormally excited mood)
Dilantin may increase your blood sugar levels. You should talk to your doctor about symptoms of high blood sugar and what to do if you experience them.
This drug can also increase your risk for developing osteomalacia
(weakening and softening of bones) and Hodgkin lymphoma (cancer that
begins in the lymph nodes). You may also experience swollen lymph nodes
while taking Dilantin. You should discuss these risks with your
physician.
Dilantin
may also cause swelling and bleeding of the gums and could increase
your risk of gum damage. You should discuss proper ways to care for your
teeth and gums while taking this drug.
Before taking this medicine, you should tell your doctor if you have or have ever had:
- Diabetes
- Lupus
- A folate or vitamin B-12 deficiency
- Porphyria (a rare, inherited condition that affects the functioning of your blood's hemoglobin)
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
You should also tell your physician if you are an alcoholic or have ever consumed large amounts of alcohol.
In
case of emergency, you may want to wear a medical alert tag or carry an
ID card that says you take Dilantin, so medical care providers are
aware.
Tell your doctor you are taking Dilantin before having any kind of surgery, including dental procedures.
A number of clinical and anecdotal reports have linked anticonvulsants such as Dilantin to Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare but serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes.
Symptoms
of Stevens-Johnson syndrome include hives, swelling of the face and
tongue, rash, skin irritation and shedding, and blisters.
Pregnancy and Dilantin
Dilantin
is a pregnancy category D drug, which means it may harm an unborn baby.
However, having a seizure during pregnancy could also harm the unborn
baby and mother.
You
shouldn't start taking Dilantin if you are pregnant unless your doctor
tells you to do so. If you become pregnant while taking Dilantin, don't
stop taking the drug without first talking to your doctor.
This
drug may also make some methods of birth control less effective. You
should talk to your doctor about using non-hormonal birth control
options to prevent pregnancy while taking Dilantin.
Dilantin can pass into breast milk and may harm a breastfeeding baby. You shouldn't breastfeed while taking this drug.
Dilantin (Phenytoin) Dosage
Dilantin comes as a chewable tablet, an extended-release tablet, and a liquid to take by mouth.
The
recommended adult dose is typically 100 milligrams (mg), two to four
times a day. Some patients may require 200 mg, three times a day.
The
liquid and chewable tablets are typically taken two or three times a
day. The capsules are usually taken one to four times a day.
Swallow
the extended-release capsules whole. Don't crush, chew, or split them.
Also, don't take the capsules if they are discolored.
You can chew or swallow the chewable tablets.
Shake the liquid form of this medicine well before each dose.
Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of Dilantin and gradually increase it.
Try to take this medication at around the same time each day. Follow the instructions on your prescription label carefully. Don't take more or less of this drug than is prescribed.
Dilantin Overdose
If
you suspect an overdose, you should contact a poison control center or
emergency room immediately. You can get in touch with a poison control
center at (800) 222-1222.
Missed Dose of Dilantin
If you miss a dose of Dilantin,
take it as soon as you remember. However, if it's almost time for your
next dose, skip the missed dose and continue on your regular dosing
schedule. Don't double up on doses to make up for a missed one.
Dilantin Side effects
Many
varied adverse effects can occur during Dilantin therapy including
dizziness, drowsiness, difficulty focusing (vision), unsteady gate,
tiredness, abnormal involuntary movements, nausea, vomiting,
constipation, abdominal pain, and loss of appetite. Children and young
adults can develop overgrowth of the gums during long-term therapy which
requires regular treatment by a dentist. Good oral hygiene
and gum massage may reduce the risk. Rashes can occur in between 1 in
20 and 1 in 10 persons; some may be severe. Also, dark coloration of the
skin may develop Dilantin can produce unusual growth of hair in some
patients. This reaction most commonly affects the arms and legs but can
also affect the trunk and face; it may be irreversible. Various lymph
node reactions have been reported with Dilantin therapy. Lymph nodes may
swell up, sometimes painfully. Dilantin may cause serum glucose to
rise. Thus, blood sugar should be monitored closely when Dilantin is
administered to patients with diabetes. Dilantin can potentially injure
the liver although this is an uncommon occurrence. Dilantin can cause
the platelet or white blood cell counts to drop, increasing the risk of
bleeding or infection, respectively. Dilantin also can cause anemia.
Because it interferes with vitamin D metabolism, Dilantin can cause
weakening of the bones (osteomalacia). Dilantin can cause sexual
dysfunction including decreased libido, impotence, and priapism (painful, prolonged erections).
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