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Propoxyphene Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of propoxyphene include dependence, cardiovascular disorder, and cardiac disorder, based on 21,384 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025.

Propoxyphene side effects

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

1
Dependence15.2%3,242
2
Cardiovascular Disorder8.1%1,725
3
Cardiac Disorder7.3%1,568
4
Nervous System Disorder6.0%1,281
5
Movement Disorder6.0%1,277
6
Myocardial Infarction5.7%1,218
7
Nausea4.4%934
8
Pain4.3%922
9
Drug Hypersensitivity4.2%901
10
Cardiac Disorder4.1%872
11
Cardio-respiratory Arrest4.1%868
12
Dyspnoea3.8%816
13
Arrhythmia3.8%802
14
Overdose3.6%767
15
Pain3.4%731

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

Report severity

82.3%Serious17,602 reports
27.3%Hospitalizations5,845 reports
13.6%Fatal2,903 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Propoxyphene drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside propoxyphene. 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
Acetaminophen34.2%7,313
2
Tramadol-hydrochloride16.6%3,555
3
Oxymorphone-hydrochloride13.7%2,933
4
Codeine13.3%2,839
5
Promethazine-hydrochloride13.2%2,829
6
Oxycodone7.7%1,642
7
Hydrocodone5.1%1,095
8
Morphine-sulfate4.5%954
9
Adalimumab4.2%901
10
Fentanyl4.1%868
11
Ethinyl-estradiol3.1%672
12
Drospirenone2.9%623
13
Rofecoxib2.5%539
14
Buprenorphine2.0%436
15
Dihydrocodeine-bitartrate2.0%431

Taken alongside

1
Acetaminophen42.9%9,176
2
Aspirin10.1%2,154
3
Furosemide8.4%1,804
4
Hydrocodone7.7%1,642
5
Levothyroxine-sodium7.5%1,604
6
Prednisone7.2%1,542
7
Metoprolol6.6%1,418
8
Hydrochlorothiazide6.4%1,374
9
Alprazolam6.2%1,336
10
Albuterol6.2%1,319
11
Omeprazole6.2%1,317
12
Lisinopril6.1%1,314
13
Ibuprofen6.0%1,287
14
Gabapentin5.9%1,254
15
Zolpidem-tartrate5.5%1,183

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 propoxyphene side effects

62.1% of propoxyphene adverse event reports involve female patients and 29.0% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 62%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female62.1%
Male29.0%
Unknown8.9%

Age group

< 20.4%
2–11<0.1%
12–170.8%
18–6462.4%
65+36.3%

What is propoxyphene used for

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

Abdominal AdhesionsAbdominal PainAbdominal Pain LowerAbdominal Pain UpperAbscessAccidental ExposureAccidental Exposure To ProductAdhesionAdnexa Uteri PainAdverse ReactionAmyotrophic Lateral SclerosisAnalgesiaAnalgesic EffectAnalgesic TherapyAnkle Fracture

Showing 15 of 264 indications

Propoxyphene brand names and reporting trend

Propoxyphene is sold under the brand name Darvocet-n 100.

Brand names

Darvocet-n 100221

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

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

Taking propoxyphene with another medication?

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