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Guaifenesin Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of guaifenesin include dyspnoea, diarrhoea, and dizziness, based on 40,821 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 8.7% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Guaifenesin side effects

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

1
Drug Ineffective8.7%3,558
2
Dyspnoea5.5%2,252
3
Diarrhoea5.4%2,211
4
Dizziness5.2%2,129
5
Nausea5.2%2,109
6
Fatigue5.0%2,059
7
Headache4.3%1,772
8
Cough4.2%1,714
9
Pneumonia3.9%1,612
10
Pain3.1%1,246
11
Vomiting2.8%1,151
12
Off Label Use2.8%1,148
13
Insomnia2.8%1,138
14
Product Use In Unapproved Indication2.7%1,115
15
Accidental Overdose2.5%1,007

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

Report severity

45.8%Serious18,702 reports
22.4%Hospitalizations9,155 reports
6.2%Fatal2,515 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Guaifenesin drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside guaifenesin. 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
Dextromethorphan14.0%5,733
2
Lenalidomide4.2%1,719
3
Sodium-oxybate3.5%1,440
4
Treprostinil2.7%1,094
5
Pseudoephedrine2.5%1,015
6
Dupilumab2.1%869
7
Fluticasone1.9%769
8
Esomeprazole1.4%584
9
Omeprazole1.4%574
10
Adalimumab1.3%524
11
Ritonavir1.3%520
12
Nirmatrelvir1.3%511
13
Pomalidomide1.1%463
14
Salmeterol-xinafoate1.1%436
15
Tiotropium-bromide1.0%415

Taken alongside

1
Albuterol23.1%9,429
2
Acetaminophen23.0%9,372
3
Fluticasone18.2%7,430
4
Ergocalciferol16.8%6,860
5
Aspirin16.7%6,807
6
Furosemide12.3%5,008
7
Omeprazole12.2%4,999
8
Prednisone11.6%4,732
9
Levothyroxine-sodium11.6%4,716
10
Montelukast-sodium10.5%4,303
11
Gabapentin9.9%4,051
12
Atorvastatin-calcium9.8%4,012
13
Diphenhydramine9.1%3,712
14
Metoprolol8.7%3,565
15
Ondansetron8.5%3,471

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 guaifenesin side effects

59.9% of guaifenesin adverse event reports involve female patients and 34.0% involve male patients. The largest age group is elderly at 50%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female59.9%
Male34.0%
Unknown6.1%

Age group

< 20.2%
2–111.3%
12–171.7%
18–6446.9%
65+50.0%

What is guaifenesin used for

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

Abdominal DiscomfortAccidental Exposure To ProductAccidental Exposure To Product By ChildAcute Myeloid LeukaemiaAcute Respiratory Distress SyndromeAcute SinusitisAdverse EventAirway Secretion Clearance TherapyAllergic SinusitisAllergy ProphylaxisAllergy To AnimalAllergy To ChemicalsAlopeciaAnaemiaAnaemia Prophylaxis

Showing 15 of 522 indications

Guaifenesin brand names and reporting trend

Guaifenesin is sold under the brand name Guaifenesin And Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide.

Brand names

Guaifenesin And Dextromethorphan Hydrobromide9,692

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

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

Taking guaifenesin with another medication?

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