OpenClaim

Sulbactam Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of sulbactam include pyrexia, pneumonia, and off label use, based on 3,423 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 4.6% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Sulbactam side effects

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

1
Pyrexia5.0%171
2
Pneumonia5.0%170
3
Drug Ineffective4.6%156
4
Off Label Use3.4%118
5
Pyrexia3.0%101
6
Pneumonia2.9%100
7
Diarrhoea2.6%90
8
Sepsis2.6%90
9
Dyspnoea2.4%81
10
Rash2.2%74
11
Nausea2.1%72
12
Acute Kidney Injury2.0%68
13
Condition Aggravated1.9%66
14
Anaemia1.8%62
15
Vomiting1.7%59

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

Report severity

94.8%Serious3,246 reports
53.1%Hospitalizations1,816 reports
22.4%Fatal766 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Sulbactam drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside sulbactam. 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
Ampicillin36.4%1,247
2
Vancomycin4.4%150
3
Meropenem3.1%106
4
Methylprednisolone3.0%102
5
Tacrolimus2.7%94
6
Piperacillin2.4%82
7
Ciprofloxacin2.4%82
8
Mycophenolate2.2%74
9
Dexamethasone2.1%71
10
Prednisolone2.0%69
11
Prednisone2.0%68
12
Amoxicillin1.9%66
13
Metronidazole1.8%63
14
Trastuzumab1.8%63
15
Azithromycin1.8%62

Taken alongside

1
Ampicillin50.5%1,727
2
Acetaminophen11.5%392
3
Furosemide11.4%391
4
Vancomycin7.4%254
5
Dexamethasone7.4%253
6
Aspirin7.2%248
7
Amlodipine6.9%237
8
Methylprednisolone6.4%219
9
Insulin6.0%206
10
Ondansetron5.9%201
11
Omeprazole5.8%200
12
Pantoprazole-sodium5.7%195
13
Heparin5.6%190
14
Fentanyl5.3%183
15
Meropenem5.3%182

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 sulbactam side effects

42.7% of sulbactam adverse event reports involve female patients and 49.2% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 46%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female42.7%
Male49.2%
Unknown8.2%

Age group

< 23.8%
2–113.8%
12–171.9%
18–6445.6%
65+45.0%

What is sulbactam used for

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

Abdominal AbscessAbdominal InfectionAbdominal PainAbscessAbscess NeckAcinetobacter InfectionAcinetobacter Test PositiveActinomycosisAcute AbdomenAcute Respiratory Distress SyndromeAdenoiditisAdverse EventAmniocentesis AbnormalAmniotic Cavity InfectionAnaesthesia

Showing 15 of 461 indications

Sulbactam brand names and reporting trend

Sulbactam is sold under the brand name Xacduro (copackaged).

Brand names

Xacduro (copackaged)655

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

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

Taking sulbactam with another medication?

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