Commentary on 2 Cases of Rare but Serious Side Effects of Commonly Used Medications: Dilemmas in Clinical Decision-making.

In this issue of the journal, 2 case reports are presented that describe rare but serious side effects of commonly used medications. These cases illustrate dilemmas in clinical decision-making. The first describes the induction of seizures by low-dose venlafaxine in a predisposed individual, and the second describes the development of mild but significant leukopenia with sequential trials of olanzapine and risperidone. The association between a drug and a rare but potentially serious side effect in an individual patient can be difficult to determine with precision, and the decision to press ahead and try to work around the reaction, versus stopping the likely offender and finding a substitute, is a matter for seasoned clinical judgment.