Can a drug rash cause Stevens-Johnson syndrome?

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is an uncommon but serious skin and mucous-membrane reaction. Medicines are a frequent trigger. It may begin with fever, tiredness, sore throat, burning eyes, or a tender red or dusky rash before blisters or peeling appear. A simple medication rash is often itchy and limited, while SJS can involve skin pain and sensitive areas such as the lips, mouth, eyes, or genitals. The appearance can change quickly, so an early rash cannot be safely classified from a photograph alone.

Write down every prescription medicine, over-the-counter product, supplement, and recent dose change, including when each was started. Contact the prescriber promptly for advice about the suspected medicine; do not restart a medicine that a clinician told you to stop. Avoid applying new creams or taking leftover medicines while the rash is being assessed. If a clinician suspects SJS, hospital assessment may be needed for fluids, wound care, pain control, and monitoring of the eyes and other organs.

Go to an emergency department immediately for skin pain, widespread redness, blisters, peeling, sores on the lips or inside the mouth, painful swallowing, red or light-sensitive eyes, genital sores, facial swelling, breathing difficulty, faintness, or fever with a new medicine-related rash. Do not wait for peeling to begin. Bring medicine packaging or a current medication list, and mention any previous serious drug reaction.

Which medicine is the most likely trigger, and should I stop it now? What warning signs should make me return urgently? Should this reaction be recorded as a drug allergy, and which related medicines should I avoid? Do my eyes, mouth, or other mucous membranes need examination?