BOSENTAN

85/100 · Critical

Manufactured by Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.

High Serious Event Rate for BOSSENTAN

98,401 FDA adverse event reports analyzed

Last updated: 2026-05-12

About BOSENTAN

BOSENTAN is a medication tracked in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), manufactured by Actelion Pharmaceuticals US, Inc.. Based on analysis of 98,401 FDA adverse event reports, BOSENTAN has a safety score of 85 out of 100. This score indicates a relatively favorable safety profile, with fewer or less severe adverse events compared to many other tracked medications. The most commonly reported adverse reactions for BOSENTAN include DEATH, DYSPNOEA, PNEUMONIA, PULMONARY ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION, FATIGUE. This page provides a comprehensive breakdown of reported side effects, safety signals, patient demographics, and AI-powered safety analysis for BOSENTAN.

AI Safety Analysis

Bosentan has a safety concern score of 85 out of 100, placing it in the high concern category based on analysis of FDA adverse event data. The FDA has received approximately 98,401 adverse event reports for this medication, which is primarily manufactured by Actelion Pharmaceuticals Us, Inc..

The most commonly reported adverse events include Death, Dyspnoea, Pneumonia. Of classified reports, 84.8% were designated as serious by the FDA, meaning they involved hospitalization, disability, or other significant medical outcomes. The majority of adverse events reported are serious, with death being the most common reaction.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension and cardiac failure are significant safety concerns. Liver function abnormalities and increased liver enzymes are frequently reported.

Patients taking Bosentan should monitor for the commonly reported side effects and contact their healthcare provider if they experience any unusual symptoms. Bosentan is contraindicated in patients with severe liver impairment and should be used with caution in patients with pre-existing liver disease. It may interact with drugs that affect liver enzymes. This analysis is based on voluntary FDA adverse event reports and should not replace professional medical advice.

Safety Score: 85/100

Bosentan received a safety concern score of 85/100 (high concern). This is based on a 84.8% serious event ratio across 49,560 classified reports. The score accounts for 98,401 total adverse event reports and 100 distinct reaction types. This high score reflects a significant proportion of serious adverse events in the reporting data.

Top Adverse Reactions

DEATH9,291 reports
DYSPNOEA5,974 reports
PNEUMONIA2,684 reports
PULMONARY ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION2,291 reports
FATIGUE2,232 reports
HEADACHE2,202 reports
NAUSEA2,053 reports
DIARRHOEA1,968 reports
CONDITION AGGRAVATED1,868 reports
DIZZINESS1,762 reports
MALAISE1,692 reports
FALL1,565 reports
COUGH1,548 reports
VOMITING1,523 reports
PULMONARY HYPERTENSION1,459 reports
FLUID RETENTION1,430 reports
OEDEMA PERIPHERAL1,393 reports
ASPARTATE AMINOTRANSFERASE INCREASED1,389 reports
ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE INCREASED1,372 reports
PYREXIA1,263 reports
HYPOTENSION1,253 reports
CHEST PAIN1,249 reports
ASTHENIA1,212 reports
OFF LABEL USE1,185 reports
SYNCOPE1,184 reports
CARDIAC FAILURE1,165 reports
RIGHT VENTRICULAR FAILURE1,136 reports
ANAEMIA1,107 reports
DISEASE PROGRESSION1,028 reports
CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE1,018 reports
HOSPITALISATION1,008 reports
RESPIRATORY FAILURE1,001 reports
OXYGEN SATURATION DECREASED987 reports
LIVER FUNCTION TEST ABNORMAL956 reports
OEDEMA893 reports
PAIN858 reports
DYSPNOEA EXERTIONAL851 reports
PAIN IN EXTREMITY799 reports
BLOOD ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE INCREASED787 reports
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION779 reports
NASOPHARYNGITIS773 reports
PULMONARY OEDEMA769 reports
SEPSIS743 reports
HYPOXIA695 reports
DRUG DOSE OMISSION677 reports
URINARY TRACT INFECTION677 reports
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE669 reports
WEIGHT DECREASED660 reports
DRUG INEFFECTIVE652 reports
PALPITATIONS638 reports
DEHYDRATION628 reports
INFLUENZA620 reports
RENAL FAILURE615 reports
ABDOMINAL PAIN614 reports
FLUSHING603 reports
WEIGHT INCREASED595 reports
DECREASED APPETITE591 reports
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE584 reports
CARDIAC DISORDER572 reports
BACK PAIN570 reports
BLOOD BILIRUBIN INCREASED562 reports
ARTHRALGIA561 reports
PAIN IN JAW550 reports
TRANSFUSION538 reports
CARDIAC ARREST532 reports
FLUID OVERLOAD530 reports
DEVICE RELATED INFECTION526 reports
EPISTAXIS524 reports
INFECTION524 reports
GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE523 reports
PERIPHERAL SWELLING519 reports
HAEMOGLOBIN DECREASED514 reports
BRONCHITIS501 reports
LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS492 reports
PLEURAL EFFUSION491 reports
ABDOMINAL PAIN UPPER479 reports
NASAL CONGESTION474 reports
FEELING ABNORMAL469 reports
HEART RATE INCREASED467 reports
CHEST DISCOMFORT456 reports
ABDOMINAL DISTENSION449 reports
PRODUCT USE ISSUE448 reports
CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT432 reports
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION422 reports
HAEMORRHAGE412 reports
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION412 reports
LUNG DISORDER396 reports
SWELLING390 reports
HAEMOPTYSIS389 reports
INSOMNIA386 reports
RASH384 reports
CONSTIPATION375 reports
MYALGIA375 reports
ASCITES370 reports
PRURITUS370 reports
CELLULITIS368 reports
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION364 reports
INFUSION SITE PAIN363 reports
ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT355 reports
LUNG TRANSPLANT349 reports

Key Safety Signals

  • High incidence of death and serious adverse events.
  • Significant reports of pulmonary hypertension and cardiac failure.
  • Frequent liver function abnormalities and increased liver enzymes.

Patient Demographics

Adverse event reports by sex: Female: 27,925, Male: 10,115, Unknown: 170. The most frequently reported age groups are age 70 (783 reports), age 71 (737 reports), age 74 (735 reports). These demographics reflect reporting patterns and may not represent the full patient population.

Report Outcomes

Out of 49,560 classified reports for BOSENTAN:

  • Serious: 42,031 reports (84.8%) — includes hospitalization, disability, life-threatening events, or death
  • Non-Serious: 7,529 reports (15.2%)
Serious 84.8%Non-Serious 15.2%

The FDA classifies an adverse event as “serious” if it results in death, hospitalization, disability, congenital anomaly, or requires intervention to prevent permanent damage.

Demographics Breakdown

Reports by Sex

Female27,925 (73.1%)
Male10,115 (26.5%)
Unknown170 (0.4%)

Reports by Age

Age 70783 reports
Age 71737 reports
Age 74735 reports
Age 67732 reports
Age 76732 reports
Age 72731 reports
Age 68725 reports
Age 73722 reports
Age 66715 reports
Age 69713 reports
Age 75689 reports
Age 65663 reports
Age 64657 reports
Age 60654 reports
Age 78639 reports
Age 62634 reports
Age 77629 reports
Age 61612 reports
Age 63594 reports
Age 79569 reports

Demographics reflect voluntary FDA adverse event reporting patterns and may not represent the full patient population.

Drug Interactions & Warnings

Bosentan is contraindicated in patients with severe liver impairment and should be used with caution in patients with pre-existing liver disease. It may interact with drugs that affect liver enzymes.

What You Should Know

If you are taking Bosentan, here are important things to know. The most commonly reported side effects include death, dyspnoea, pneumonia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, fatigue. While many of these may be mild and temporary, you should contact your healthcare provider if any symptoms are severe or persistent. Patients should report any symptoms of liver dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension to their healthcare provider immediately. Regular liver function tests are recommended for patients taking BOSSENTAN. If you experience a serious adverse reaction, seek emergency medical attention immediately or call 911. You can report side effects to the FDA's MedWatch program at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Regulatory Context

The FDA closely monitors BOSSENTAN due to its high serious event rate. Healthcare providers should regularly monitor patients for signs of liver dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many adverse event reports has the FDA received for Bosentan?

The FDA has received approximately 98,401 adverse event reports associated with Bosentan. These reports come from healthcare professionals, consumers, and manufacturers through the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Note that the number of reports does not directly indicate the frequency of side effects, as adverse events are voluntarily reported and may be underrepresented.

What are the most commonly reported side effects of Bosentan?

The most frequently reported adverse events for Bosentan include Death, Dyspnoea, Pneumonia, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Fatigue. By volume, the top reported reactions are: Death (9,291 reports), Dyspnoea (5,974 reports), Pneumonia (2,684 reports). These figures reflect FDA adverse event reports and may not represent the true incidence rate of these side effects in all patients taking Bosentan.

What percentage of Bosentan adverse event reports are serious?

Out of 49,560 classified reports, 42,031 (84.8%) were classified as serious and 7,529 as non-serious. The FDA classifies an event as "serious" if it results in death, hospitalization, disability, or other medically significant outcomes. A higher serious-event ratio warrants closer attention but does not necessarily mean the drug is unsafe.

Who reports adverse events for Bosentan (by sex)?

Adverse event reports for Bosentan break down by patient sex as follows: Female: 27,925, Male: 10,115, Unknown: 170. This distribution reflects reporting patterns rather than actual risk differences between groups. Reporting rates can be influenced by prescribing patterns, disease demographics, and reporting behavior.

What age groups report the most side effects for Bosentan?

The most frequently reported age groups for Bosentan adverse events are: age 70: 783 reports, age 71: 737 reports, age 74: 735 reports, age 67: 732 reports, age 76: 732 reports. Age-related reporting patterns can reflect both the demographics of the patient population and potential age-related susceptibility to certain side effects.

Who manufactures Bosentan?

The primary manufacturer associated with Bosentan adverse event reports is Actelion Pharmaceuticals Us, Inc.. Multiple manufacturers may produce generic versions of this drug. The manufacturer listed reflects the most frequently reported brand in FDA adverse event data.

What other side effects have been reported for Bosentan?

Beyond the most common reactions, other reported adverse events for Bosentan include: Headache, Nausea, Diarrhoea, Condition Aggravated, Dizziness. Less common side effects can still be clinically significant. Patients should report any unusual symptoms to their healthcare provider.

How do I report a side effect from Bosentan?

You can report adverse events from Bosentan to the FDA through their MedWatch program at www.fda.gov/medwatch, by calling 1-800-FDA-1088, or by completing Form FDA 3500. Healthcare professionals, consumers, and manufacturers can all submit reports. Reporting helps the FDA monitor drug safety after approval.

What is Bosentan's safety score and what does it mean?

Bosentan has a safety concern score of 85 out of 100 (high concern). This score is calculated from the ratio of serious to non-serious adverse events, the diversity of reported reactions, and the overall volume of reports relative to usage. The majority of adverse events reported are serious, with death being the most common reaction.

What are the key safety signals for Bosentan?

Key safety signals identified in Bosentan's adverse event data include: High incidence of death and serious adverse events.. Significant reports of pulmonary hypertension and cardiac failure.. Frequent liver function abnormalities and increased liver enzymes.. These signals are derived from patterns in FDA reports and should be discussed with a healthcare provider for personalized assessment.

Does Bosentan interact with other drugs?

Bosentan is contraindicated in patients with severe liver impairment and should be used with caution in patients with pre-existing liver disease. It may interact with drugs that affect liver enzymes. Always inform your healthcare provider about all medications, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs you are taking before starting Bosentan.

What should patients know before taking Bosentan?

Patients should report any symptoms of liver dysfunction or pulmonary hypertension to their healthcare provider immediately. Regular liver function tests are recommended for patients taking BOSSENTAN.

Are Bosentan side effects well-documented?

Bosentan has 98,401 adverse event reports on file with the FDA. Pulmonary arterial hypertension and cardiac failure are significant safety concerns. The volume of reports for Bosentan reflects both the drug's usage level and the vigilance of the reporting community.

What is the FDA's position on Bosentan?

The FDA closely monitors BOSSENTAN due to its high serious event rate. Healthcare providers should regularly monitor patients for signs of liver dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension. For the most current regulatory information, check the FDA's drug labeling database or consult your pharmacist.

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Important Disclaimer: This content is generated by AI analysis of FDA adverse event reports and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Adverse event reports submitted to the FDA do not prove that a medication caused the reported side effect. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication. If you experience a serious side effect, contact your doctor or call 911 immediately.