Summary Safety Review - Atypical antipsychotics - Assessing the potential risk of Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS)

Health Canada reviewed the potential risk of DRESS with the use of atypical antipsychotics, following the manufacturers’ voluntary update of the product safety information for Zyprexa (olanzapine) and Zeldox (ziprasidone) to include the risk of DRESS (Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms). DRESS describes a group of rare but serious and potentially life-threatening side effects to medications, such as fever, severe skin rash with swollen face or peeling of the skin over large areas of the body, etc.