OpenClaim

Cyproheptadine Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of cyproheptadine include off label use, fatigue, and diarrhoea, based on 6,417 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 5.0% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Cyproheptadine side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for cyproheptadine.

1
Off Label Use5.9%380
2
Drug Ineffective5.0%322
3
Fatigue4.8%311
4
Diarrhoea4.8%306
5
Vomiting4.6%297
6
Nausea4.6%297
7
Headache3.8%246
8
Pneumonia3.8%242
9
Decreased Appetite3.5%227
10
Weight Decreased3.3%214
11
Pyrexia3.3%209
12
Anxiety3.0%195
13
Abdominal Pain3.0%191
14
Pain2.9%189
15
Serotonin Syndrome2.8%182

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that cyproheptadine caused these reactions.

Report severity

70.8%Serious4,542 reports
42.6%Hospitalizations2,731 reports
8.3%Fatal531 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Cyproheptadine drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside cyproheptadine. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Ivacaftor9.9%637
2
Lumacaftor4.5%289
3
Dupilumab3.0%195
4
Aztreonam2.8%182
5
Infliximab2.6%169
6
Tobramycin2.6%168
7
Somatropin2.4%154
8
Adalimumab2.4%152
9
Elexacaftor-ivacaftor-tezacaftor2.3%146
10
Sodium-oxybate2.3%145
11
Bupropion2.1%136
12
Omeprazole2.1%136
13
Prednisone2.0%126
14
Acetaminophen1.9%120
15
Amitriptyline-hydrochloride1.9%120

Taken alongside

1
Albuterol24.1%1,544
2
Ergocalciferol17.9%1,151
3
Acetaminophen17.0%1,093
4
Fluticasone15.7%1,005
5
Omeprazole15.5%996
6
Lipase13.7%882
7
Pancrelipase-amylase13.4%860
8
Protease13.4%860
9
Ondansetron13.0%834
10
Dornase-alfa11.7%751
11
Sodium-chloride10.9%700
12
Montelukast-sodium10.1%646
13
Azithromycin9.5%607
14
Gabapentin9.3%599
15
Cetirizine-hydrochloride8.7%557

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports cyproheptadine side effects

50.2% of cyproheptadine adverse event reports involve female patients and 42.3% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 39%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female50.2%
Male42.3%
Unknown7.5%

Age group

< 23.1%
2–1124.2%
12–1717.3%
18–6439.3%
65+16.1%

What is cyproheptadine used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking cyproheptadine when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal MigraineAbdominal PainAbdominal Pain UpperAccidental ExposureAffective DisorderAggressionAllergy ProphylaxisAnorexiaAnorexia NervosaAnorgasmiaAntiallergic TherapyAntibiotic TherapyAnticholinergic SyndromeAnticoagulant TherapyAnxiety

Showing 15 of 301 indications

Cyproheptadine brand names and reporting trend

Cyproheptadine is sold under the brand name Periactin.

Brand names

Periactin313

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking cyproheptadine with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.