A Routine over the Counter Phenylephrine Causing Rarer Drug Eruption as Adverse Drug Reaction - A Case Report

Phenylephrine is a sympathomimetic, which means it acts analogous to adrenaline. Phenylephrine can be taken orally to treat nasal congestion symptoms. It is also frequently mixed with other medicines in products meant to relieve cough and cold symptoms. Given the widespread usage of phenylephrine, related drug eruptions appear to be uncommon.

Here we discuss a case of a 19-year-old female patient who reported to our hospital with blebs on the skin throughout her legs and torso. The drug eruption or adverse drug response was linked with itching, had a slow beginning, and progressed. Her medical history indicated that she had been taking phenylephrine 10 mg orally twice a day. On the sixth day, she experienced an adverse medication response caused by the medicine phenylephrine. Phenylephrine was stopped immediately and the other medications, such as levocetirizine, montelukast, and nasal spray, were continued. The patient was told not to use phenylephrine, either alone or in combination with FDCs. There are no other complaints. As a result, the patient was diagnosed with phenylephrine- induced eruption.

We present this case to highlight the importance of inspiring a pharmacovigilance mindset among all clinicians providing care as a routine alert drug, phenylephrine-induced drug eruption.