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Retapamulin Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of retapamulin include application site irritation, burning sensation, and application site pain, based on 718 FDA adverse event reports from 2007 to 2023. 7.5% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Retapamulin side effects

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

1
Application Site Irritation22.1%159
2
Burning Sensation18.8%135
3
Application Site Pain11.4%82
4
Pain10.6%76
5
Drug Ineffective7.5%54
6
Erythema5.7%41
7
Application Site Erythema5.6%40
8
Pruritus5.6%40
9
Hypersensitivity5.2%37
10
Rash4.9%35
11
Dermatitis Contact4.6%33
12
Skin Irritation3.2%23
13
Crying2.9%21
14
Blister2.6%19
15
Application Site Pruritus2.4%17

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

Report severity

13.4%Serious96 reports
4.9%Hospitalizations35 reports
1.1%Fatal8 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Retapamulin drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside retapamulin. 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
Mupirocin1.4%10
2
Amoxicillin1.0%7
3
Cyclizine-lactate1.0%7
4
Griseofulvin1.0%7
5
Dicloxacillin-sodium1.0%7
6
Esomeprazole0.8%6
7
Sulfamethoxazole0.7%5
8
Omeprazole0.7%5
9
Pantoprazole-sodium0.7%5
10
Trimethoprim0.6%4
11
Tacrolimus0.4%3
12
Sodium-oxybate0.4%3
13
Chlorpheniramine0.4%3
14
Infliximab0.4%3
15
Lansoprazole0.4%3

Taken alongside

1
Levothyroxine-sodium3.8%27
2
Acetaminophen3.8%27
3
Aspirin3.5%25
4
Ergocalciferol3.5%25
5
Sulfamethoxazole3.1%22
6
Trimethoprim3.1%22
7
Cephalexin3.1%22
8
Clindamycin3.1%22
9
Amoxicillin2.8%20
10
Atorvastatin-calcium2.6%19
11
Prednisone2.6%19
12
Hydroxyzine2.6%19
13
Furosemide2.6%19
14
Lisinopril2.6%19
15
Hydrochlorothiazide2.4%17

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 retapamulin side effects

44.6% of retapamulin adverse event reports involve female patients and 25.2% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 42%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female44.6%
Male25.2%
Unknown30.2%

Age group

< 25.8%
2–1119.0%
12–175.8%
18–6442.0%
65+27.4%

What is retapamulin used for

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

AbscessAcneAntibiotic TherapyArthropod BiteBacterial InfectionBasal Cell CarcinomaBiopsyBiteBlisterBlister InfectedBreast AbscessCellulitisCircumcisionCystDermatitis

Showing 15 of 78 indications

Retapamulin brand names and reporting trend

Retapamulin is sold under the brand name Altabax.

Brand names

Altabax18

Quarterly reports (20072023)

20082012201620202023

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

Taking retapamulin with another medication?

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