A review of cutaneous drug eruptions.

Ammar M Ahmed, Sarah Pritchard, Jason Reichenberg

Department of Dermatology, University of Texas-Southwestern Medical Center-Austin Campus, University Medical Center Brackenridge, Seton Healthcare Family, 601 East 15th Street, CEC C2.443, Austin, TX 78701, USA. amahmed@seton.org

Clinics in geriatric medicine 2013 May

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Cutaneous drug eruptions can range from an asymptomatic rash to a life-threatening emergency. Because of the high frequency, morbidity, and potential mortality associated with drug eruptions, patients with possible drug reactions should promptly be recognized, worked up, and treated. Drug reactions are common in the elderly population due to age-related alterations in metabolism, excretion of medications, and polypharmacy. This review discusses the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of drug eruptions that providers commonly encounter in the care of the geriatric population. An algorithm for an approach to patients with a suspected drug eruption is presented. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.