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Methacholine Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of methacholine include headache, fatigue, and asthma, based on 95 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 7.4% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

#1 Reported: HeadacheAll side effects ↓Top Co-Medication: CyclosporineDrug interactions ↓71% of Reports Are AdultDemographics ↓

Methacholine side effects

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

1
Headache8.4%8
2
Fatigue7.4%7
3
Asthma7.4%7
4
Drug Ineffective7.4%7
5
Pain6.3%6
6
Dyspnoea6.3%6
7
Chest Discomfort6.3%6
8
Dizziness5.3%5
9
Arthralgia5.3%5
10
Off Label Use5.3%5
11
Urticaria5.3%5
12
Angioedema5.3%5
13
Dyspnoea4.2%4
14
Diarrhoea4.2%4
15
Nausea4.2%4

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

Report severity

61.1%Serious58 reports
28.4%Hospitalizations27 reports
9.5%Fatal9 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Methacholine drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside methacholine. 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
Cyclosporine6.3%6
2
Cetirizine-hydrochloride4.2%4
3
Hydroxyzine4.2%4
4
Prednisone4.2%4
5
Methylprednisolone4.2%4
6
Rituximab4.2%4
7
Adalimumab3.2%3
8
Omalizumab3.2%3
9
Lenalidomide3.2%3
10
Etanercept2.1%2
11
Alendronate-sodium2.1%2
12
Zoledronic-acid2.1%2
13
Anastrozole2.1%2
14
Albuterol2.1%2
15
Pregabalin2.1%2

Taken alongside

1
Prednisone9.5%9
2
Gabapentin9.5%9
3
Amlodipine9.5%9
4
Albuterol8.4%8
5
Pantoprazole-sodium7.4%7
6
Sertraline-hydrochloride7.4%7
7
Metformin7.4%7
8
Insulin7.4%7
9
Carvedilol7.4%7
10
Aspirin6.3%6
11
Pravastatin-sodium6.3%6
12
Omeprazole6.3%6
13
Dexamethasone6.3%6
14
Hydrocodone6.3%6
15
Atorvastatin-calcium6.3%6

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 methacholine side effects

51.6% of methacholine adverse event reports involve female patients and 30.5% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 71%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female51.6%
Male30.5%
Unknown17.9%

Age group

< 20.0%
2–110.0%
12–171.7%
18–6471.2%
65+27.1%

What is methacholine used for

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

AsthmaAcquired Epidermolysis BullosaAsthmaBlood CholesterolBlood Cholesterol IncreasedBronchial DisorderBronchial HyperreactivityChest DiscomfortDrug Use For Unknown IndicationDyspnoeaInvestigationProduct Used For Unknown IndicationPulmonary Function Challenge TestPulmonary Function TestProduct Used For Unknown Indication

Showing 15 of 17 indications

Methacholine brand names and reporting trend

Methacholine is sold under the brand name Provocholine.

Brand names

Provocholine43

Quarterly reports (2004–2025)

20042010201520202025

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

Taking methacholine with another medication?

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

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