OpenClaim

Tacrine Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of tacrine include off label use, no adverse event, and death, based on 29 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 24.1% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Tacrine side effects

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

1
Off Label Use24.1%7
2
No Adverse Event24.1%7
3
Drug Ineffective24.1%7
4
Death17.2%5
5
Overdose6.9%2
6
Antipsychotic Drug Level Increased6.9%2
7
Somnolence6.9%2
8
Drug Hypersensitivity6.9%2
9
Gastric Ulcer3.4%1
10
Haematemesis3.4%1
11
Clostridial Infection3.4%1
12
Diabetic Coma3.4%1
13
Fatigue3.4%1
14
Hypersomnia3.4%1
15
Hypoglycaemia3.4%1

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

Report severity

79.3%Serious23 reports
44.8%Hospitalizations13 reports
31.0%Fatal9 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Tacrine drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside tacrine. 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
Donepezil-hydrochloride27.6%8
2
Morphine-sulfate27.6%8
3
Memantine-hydrochloride24.1%7
4
Amantadine24.1%7
5
Metaxalone24.1%7
6
Lamotrigine24.1%7
7
Diazepam24.1%7
8
Dexamethasone24.1%7
9
Gabapentin24.1%7
10
Methadone-hydrochloride24.1%7
11
Oxyphenonium-bromide24.1%7
12
Ropinirole-hydrochloride20.7%6
13
Bromocriptine-mesylate20.7%6
14
Clonazepam20.7%6
15
Pseudoephedrine6.9%2

Taken alongside

1
Furosemide10.3%3
2
Hydrochlorothiazide10.3%3
3
Acetaminophen10.3%3
4
Omeprazole10.3%3
5
Levothyroxine-sodium6.9%2
6
Losartan-potassium6.9%2
7
Amlodipine6.9%2
8
Fish6.9%2
9
Ergocalciferol6.9%2
10
Carvedilol6.9%2
11
Aspirin6.9%2
12
Cisapride-monohydrate3.4%1
13
Nitroglycerin3.4%1
14
Donepezil-hydrochloride3.4%1
15
Lisinopril3.4%1

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 tacrine side effects

51.7% of tacrine adverse event reports involve female patients and 37.9% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 79%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female51.7%
Male37.9%
Unknown10.3%

Age group

< 20.0%
2–110.0%
12–170.0%
18–6478.9%
65+21.1%

What is tacrine used for

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

Cancer PainDementia Alzheimer^s TypeDrug Use For Unknown IndicationProduct Used For Unknown Indication

Tacrine brand names and reporting trend

Tacrine is sold under the brand name Cognex.

Brand names

Cognex26

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20042025

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

Taking tacrine with another medication?

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