VENLAFAXINE

85/100 · Critical

Manufactured by Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Venlafaxine Adverse Events: High Seriousness and Diverse Reactions

151,835 FDA adverse event reports analyzed

Last updated: 2026-05-12

About VENLAFAXINE

VENLAFAXINE is a medication tracked in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), manufactured by Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc.. Based on analysis of 151,835 FDA adverse event reports, VENLAFAXINE 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 VENLAFAXINE include DRUG INEFFECTIVE, NAUSEA, TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS, FATIGUE, OFF LABEL USE. This page provides a comprehensive breakdown of reported side effects, safety signals, patient demographics, and AI-powered safety analysis for VENLAFAXINE.

AI Safety Analysis

Venlafaxine 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 151,835 adverse event reports for this medication, which is primarily manufactured by Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc..

The most commonly reported adverse events include Drug Ineffective, Nausea, Toxicity To Various Agents. Of classified reports, 84.1% were designated as serious by the FDA, meaning they involved hospitalization, disability, or other significant medical outcomes. High percentage of serious adverse events (84.1%) indicates significant safety concerns.

Diverse range of reactions, including suicidal ideation and attempts, necessitates careful monitoring. Overdose and intentional misuse are common, highlighting the need for patient education.

Patients taking Venlafaxine should monitor for the commonly reported side effects and contact their healthcare provider if they experience any unusual symptoms. Venlafaxine can interact with other drugs, including other antidepressants, and may increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. Patients should avoid alcohol and other CNS depressants. This analysis is based on voluntary FDA adverse event reports and should not replace professional medical advice.

Safety Score: 85/100

Venlafaxine received a safety concern score of 85/100 (high concern). This is based on a 84.1% serious event ratio across 68,147 classified reports. The score accounts for 151,835 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

DRUG INEFFECTIVE5,508 reports
NAUSEA4,297 reports
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS4,264 reports
FATIGUE4,198 reports
OFF LABEL USE4,123 reports
HEADACHE3,740 reports
COMPLETED SUICIDE3,170 reports
DRUG INTERACTION3,115 reports
DIZZINESS3,026 reports
DIARRHOEA2,787 reports
PAIN2,591 reports
DEPRESSION2,587 reports
ANXIETY2,503 reports
OVERDOSE2,480 reports
DYSPNOEA2,460 reports
VOMITING2,422 reports
FALL2,373 reports
INTENTIONAL OVERDOSE2,299 reports
HYPERHIDROSIS2,160 reports
SUICIDE ATTEMPT2,087 reports
SOMNOLENCE2,080 reports
SEROTONIN SYNDROME2,045 reports
INSOMNIA2,015 reports
MALAISE2,000 reports
ASTHENIA1,941 reports
ARTHRALGIA1,936 reports
CONDITION AGGRAVATED1,876 reports
SUICIDAL IDEATION1,813 reports
DEATH1,717 reports
DRUG ABUSE1,667 reports
TREMOR1,666 reports
HYPERTENSION1,609 reports
PYREXIA1,593 reports
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY1,522 reports
WEIGHT INCREASED1,516 reports
CONFUSIONAL STATE1,514 reports
RASH1,457 reports
CONSTIPATION1,453 reports
HYPOTENSION1,418 reports
WEIGHT DECREASED1,416 reports
PRODUCT USE IN UNAPPROVED INDICATION1,400 reports
FOETAL EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY1,389 reports
ABDOMINAL PAIN1,386 reports
FEELING ABNORMAL1,374 reports
COMA1,358 reports
PRURITUS1,325 reports
TACHYCARDIA1,299 reports
COUGH1,274 reports
DECREASED APPETITE1,249 reports
PNEUMONIA1,180 reports
SEIZURE1,172 reports
BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASED1,166 reports
DRUG INTOLERANCE1,138 reports
BACK PAIN1,125 reports
PAIN IN EXTREMITY1,105 reports
GAIT DISTURBANCE1,062 reports
AGITATION1,040 reports
WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME1,039 reports
ASTHMA1,035 reports
PARAESTHESIA1,023 reports
HYPERSENSITIVITY975 reports
CARDIO RESPIRATORY ARREST967 reports
MEMORY IMPAIRMENT960 reports
INTENTIONAL PRODUCT MISUSE951 reports
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM QT PROLONGED941 reports
PRODUCT USE ISSUE918 reports
MYALGIA909 reports
LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS904 reports
ABDOMINAL PAIN UPPER891 reports
CARDIAC ARREST873 reports
VISION BLURRED823 reports
EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY819 reports
MIGRAINE816 reports
MUSCLE SPASMS810 reports
URINARY TRACT INFECTION802 reports
NIGHTMARE796 reports
JOINT SWELLING794 reports
ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT793 reports
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE791 reports
HYPOAESTHESIA781 reports
SEDATION769 reports
CHEST PAIN752 reports
BALANCE DISORDER736 reports
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE726 reports
PSORIASIS718 reports
PERIPHERAL SWELLING714 reports
NASOPHARYNGITIS708 reports
RENAL FAILURE707 reports
DEPRESSED MOOD698 reports
HEART RATE INCREASED694 reports
DISTURBANCE IN ATTENTION692 reports
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS689 reports
SYNCOPE687 reports
DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY676 reports
ERYTHEMA674 reports
COVID 19671 reports
PALPITATIONS664 reports
ALOPECIA655 reports
METABOLIC ACIDOSIS655 reports
POISONING DELIBERATE653 reports

Key Safety Signals

  • High number of serious adverse events (57,309 out of 68,147 total outcomes).
  • Multiple reports of suicidal ideation and attempts, including completed suicides.
  • Significant number of drug interactions and warnings, especially with other antidepressants.

Patient Demographics

Adverse event reports by sex: Female: 41,672, Male: 19,396, Unknown: 168. The most frequently reported age groups are age 53 (1,519 reports), age 60 (1,159 reports), age 58 (1,106 reports). These demographics reflect reporting patterns and may not represent the full patient population.

Report Outcomes

Out of 68,147 classified reports for VENLAFAXINE:

  • Serious: 57,309 reports (84.1%) — includes hospitalization, disability, life-threatening events, or death
  • Non-Serious: 10,838 reports (15.9%)
Serious 84.1%Non-Serious 15.9%

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

Female41,672 (68.1%)
Male19,396 (31.7%)
Unknown168 (0.3%)

Reports by Age

Age 531,519 reports
Age 601,159 reports
Age 581,106 reports
Age 541,094 reports
Age 591,046 reports
Age 521,038 reports
Age 561,022 reports
Age 641,003 reports
Age 48996 reports
Age 61996 reports
Age 50993 reports
Age 65938 reports
Age 67934 reports
Age 51916 reports
Age 55914 reports
Age 49912 reports
Age 57898 reports
Age 63898 reports
Age 68898 reports
Age 41892 reports

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

Drug Interactions & Warnings

Venlafaxine can interact with other drugs, including other antidepressants, and may increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. Patients should avoid alcohol and other CNS depressants.

What You Should Know

If you are taking Venlafaxine, here are important things to know. The most commonly reported side effects include drug ineffective, nausea, toxicity to various agents, fatigue, off label use. While many of these may be mild and temporary, you should contact your healthcare provider if any symptoms are severe or persistent. Patients should strictly follow prescribed dosages and report any unusual symptoms to their healthcare provider. Inform healthcare providers about all other medications and supplements to avoid potential drug interactions. 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 continues to monitor Venlafaxine safety. Healthcare providers should report adverse events to the FDA's MedWatch program.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The FDA has received approximately 151,835 adverse event reports associated with Venlafaxine. 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 Venlafaxine?

The most frequently reported adverse events for Venlafaxine include Drug Ineffective, Nausea, Toxicity To Various Agents, Fatigue, Off Label Use. By volume, the top reported reactions are: Drug Ineffective (5,508 reports), Nausea (4,297 reports), Toxicity To Various Agents (4,264 reports). These figures reflect FDA adverse event reports and may not represent the true incidence rate of these side effects in all patients taking Venlafaxine.

What percentage of Venlafaxine adverse event reports are serious?

Out of 68,147 classified reports, 57,309 (84.1%) were classified as serious and 10,838 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 Venlafaxine (by sex)?

Adverse event reports for Venlafaxine break down by patient sex as follows: Female: 41,672, Male: 19,396, Unknown: 168. 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 Venlafaxine?

The most frequently reported age groups for Venlafaxine adverse events are: age 53: 1,519 reports, age 60: 1,159 reports, age 58: 1,106 reports, age 54: 1,094 reports, age 59: 1,046 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 Venlafaxine?

The primary manufacturer associated with Venlafaxine adverse event reports is Alembic Pharmaceuticals 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 Venlafaxine?

Beyond the most common reactions, other reported adverse events for Venlafaxine include: Headache, Completed Suicide, Drug Interaction, Dizziness, Diarrhoea. 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 Venlafaxine?

You can report adverse events from Venlafaxine 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 Venlafaxine's safety score and what does it mean?

Venlafaxine 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. High percentage of serious adverse events (84.1%) indicates significant safety concerns.

What are the key safety signals for Venlafaxine?

Key safety signals identified in Venlafaxine's adverse event data include: High number of serious adverse events (57,309 out of 68,147 total outcomes).. Multiple reports of suicidal ideation and attempts, including completed suicides.. Significant number of drug interactions and warnings, especially with other antidepressants.. These signals are derived from patterns in FDA reports and should be discussed with a healthcare provider for personalized assessment.

Does Venlafaxine interact with other drugs?

Venlafaxine can interact with other drugs, including other antidepressants, and may increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. Patients should avoid alcohol and other CNS depressants. Always inform your healthcare provider about all medications, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs you are taking before starting Venlafaxine.

What should patients know before taking Venlafaxine?

Patients should strictly follow prescribed dosages and report any unusual symptoms to their healthcare provider. Inform healthcare providers about all other medications and supplements to avoid potential drug interactions.

Are Venlafaxine side effects well-documented?

Venlafaxine has 151,835 adverse event reports on file with the FDA. Diverse range of reactions, including suicidal ideation and attempts, necessitates careful monitoring. The volume of reports for Venlafaxine reflects both the drug's usage level and the vigilance of the reporting community.

What is the FDA's position on Venlafaxine?

The FDA continues to monitor Venlafaxine safety. Healthcare providers should report adverse events to the FDA's MedWatch program. For the most current regulatory information, check the FDA's drug labeling database or consult your pharmacist.

Related Drugs

Drugs related to VENLAFAXINE based on therapeutic use, drug class, or shared indications:

SertralineParoxetineFluoxetine
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.