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Dexmedetomidine Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of dexmedetomidine include off label use, bradycardia, and hypotension, based on 6,445 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 7.1% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Dexmedetomidine side effects

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

1
Off Label Use9.9%639
2
Drug Ineffective7.1%456
3
Bradycardia6.9%442
4
Hypotension5.3%340
5
Cardiac Arrest4.4%285
6
Drug Interaction3.6%232
7
Agitation3.4%218
8
Respiratory Failure3.1%203
9
Pyrexia2.9%186
10
Product Use In Unapproved Indication2.7%174
11
Delirium2.6%170
12
Acute Kidney Injury2.5%161
13
Tachycardia2.4%156
14
Pneumonia2.4%152
15
Toxicity To Various Agents2.3%149

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

Report severity

93.6%Serious6,030 reports
44.2%Hospitalizations2,850 reports
13.3%Fatal860 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Dexmedetomidine drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside dexmedetomidine. 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
Propofol13.4%862
2
Fentanyl11.5%738
3
Midazolam10.5%676
4
Ketamine-hydrochloride5.9%383
5
Lorazepam4.2%268
6
Remdesivir4.1%265
7
Remifentanil-hydrochloride3.8%243
8
Haloperidol3.8%242
9
Lidocaine3.8%242
10
Dexamethasone3.5%224
11
Apomorphine-hydrochloride3.2%207
12
Acetaminophen3.1%202
13
Hydromorphone-hydrochloride3.1%200
14
Epinephrine2.9%188
15
Quetiapine-fumarate2.9%186

Taken alongside

1
Fentanyl21.8%1,402
2
Propofol20.0%1,288
3
Midazolam17.3%1,118
4
Furosemide13.0%838
5
Epinephrine12.6%810
6
Acetaminophen12.2%787
7
Lorazepam10.0%646
8
Heparin9.3%600
9
Vancomycin8.6%553
10
Insulin7.8%504
11
Rocuronium-bromide7.5%485
12
Dexamethasone7.5%482
13
Pantoprazole-sodium6.6%424
14
Methylprednisolone6.5%419
15
Ondansetron6.4%414

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 dexmedetomidine side effects

35.6% of dexmedetomidine adverse event reports involve female patients and 50.5% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 46%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female35.6%
Male50.5%
Unknown14.0%

Age group

< 211.9%
2–119.7%
12–175.4%
18–6446.5%
65+26.6%

What is dexmedetomidine used for

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

Abdominal NeoplasmAbdominal PainAbscess NeckAcceleromyographyAcute Encephalitis With Refractory, Repetitive Partial SeizuresAcute Lymphocytic LeukaemiaAcute Respiratory Distress SyndromeAcute Respiratory FailureAdjuvant TherapyAdrenergic SyndromeAdrenocortical Insufficiency AcuteAdverse EventAggressionAgitationAkathisia

Showing 15 of 423 indications

Dexmedetomidine brand names and reporting trend

Dexmedetomidine is sold under the brand name Igalmi.

Brand names

Igalmi202

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

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

Taking dexmedetomidine with another medication?

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