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Varenicline Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of varenicline include nausea, depression, and abnormal dreams, based on 82,491 FDA adverse event reports from 2006 to 2025. 4.3% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Varenicline side effects

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

1
Nausea13.7%11,266
2
Depression8.9%7,302
3
Abnormal Dreams6.5%5,335
4
Anxiety5.8%4,785
5
Insomnia5.4%4,438
6
Drug Ineffective4.3%3,561
7
Vomiting4.2%3,481
8
Suicidal Ideation4.2%3,446
9
Headache4.0%3,276
10
Nausea3.9%3,238
11
Feeling Abnormal3.5%2,860
12
Malaise3.2%2,599
13
Abnormal Dreams3.1%2,523
14
Drug Ineffective3.0%2,450
15
Fatigue2.9%2,380

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

Report severity

39.7%Serious32,715 reports
9.0%Hospitalizations7,429 reports
2.0%Fatal1,658 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Varenicline drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside varenicline. 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
Nicotine0.7%539
2
Bupropion0.5%404
3
Sodium-oxybate0.5%390
4
Tiotropium-bromide0.4%357
5
Acetaminophen0.4%348
6
Pregabalin0.4%340
7
Omeprazole0.4%327
8
Esomeprazole0.4%326
9
Atorvastatin-calcium0.4%292
10
Gabapentin0.3%282
11
Alprazolam0.3%278
12
Pantoprazole-sodium0.3%272
13
Adalimumab0.3%241
14
Sertraline-hydrochloride0.3%231
15
Venlafaxine0.3%215

Taken alongside

1
Acetaminophen4.9%4,012
2
Aspirin4.7%3,903
3
Albuterol4.4%3,628
4
Lisinopril3.8%3,156
5
Atorvastatin-calcium3.8%3,114
6
Levothyroxine-sodium3.6%2,935
7
Alprazolam3.3%2,739
8
Hydrocodone3.3%2,714
9
Simvastatin3.3%2,713
10
Fluticasone3.2%2,637
11
Gabapentin2.9%2,403
12
Omeprazole2.9%2,374
13
Hydrochlorothiazide2.8%2,335
14
Ibuprofen2.7%2,267
15
Metoprolol2.6%2,180

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 varenicline side effects

58.3% of varenicline adverse event reports involve female patients and 32.0% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 81%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female58.3%
Male32.0%
Unknown9.6%

Age group

< 2<0.1%
2–11<0.1%
12–17<0.1%
18–6480.9%
65+18.9%

What is varenicline used for

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

Abdominal PainAffective DisorderAlcohol AbuseAlcohol ProblemAlcohol UseAlcoholismAllergic SinusitisAmnesiaAnaemiaAngerAngiopathyAntidepressant TherapyAnxietyArthralgiaAsthma

Showing 15 of 230 indications

Varenicline brand names and reporting trend

Varenicline is sold under brand names including Varenicline, Varenicline Tartrate.

Brand names

Varenicline6,857
Varenicline Tartrate3

Quarterly reports (20062025)

20062010201520202025

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

Taking varenicline with another medication?

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