Reported Reactions

Adverse event reports that FDA received

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Central nervous system depressant adverse event reports that FDA received for the drugs of this class

Kind of class
Pharmacologic class (FDA Established Pharmacologic Class)
Drug pages
4

What a report is

A report is not proof that the drug was the cause of the event.

FDA says:

Adverse event reports submitted to FDA do not undergo extensive validation or verification. Therefore, a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report. While a suspected relationship may exist, it is not medically validated and should not be the sole source of information for clinical decision making or other assumptions about the safety or efficacy of a product. Additionally, it is important to remember that adverse event reports represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product. Common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product.

Source: openFDA, Drug Adverse Event Overview, section "Responsible use of the data". The site read the page on . The data have the reports that FDA received through .

FDA also says:

There is no certainty that the reported event (adverse event or medication error) was actually due to the product. FDA does not require that a causal relationship between a product and event be proven, and reports do not always contain enough detail to properly evaluate an event. The information in these reports has not been scientifically or otherwise verified as to a cause and effect relationship and cannot be used to estimate the incidence of these events.

Source: openFDA, Drug Adverse Event Overview. The site read the page on .

Do not rely on openFDA to make decisions regarding medical care. While we make every effort to ensure that data is accurate, you should assume all results are unvalidated.

Source: openFDA, Response of the drug event API (meta.disclaimer). The site read the page on .

Not medical advice. This site counts what was reported to FDA. Questions about a medicine or device belong with a pharmacist or clinician.

Reports on file

Central nervous system depressant is a pharmacologic class: an FDA Established Pharmacologic Class. The class has 4 drug pages on this site.

From January 2004 to June 2026, FDA received 74,407 adverse event reports that name a drug of the class. In these reports the drug is a suspect or interacting product. A report that names two drugs of the class counts one time for each.

FDA received 2,104 reports in the 12 months to June 2026 and 4,870 in the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data every quarter, so the newest months are not complete. They grow in later releases.

The number of people who use the product is not in the data. A count is not a rate.

Pharmacologic class

The Established Pharmacologic Class (EPC) of FDA is the class on the label of a drug. The site puts a drug in the class that its reports have most often.

Data version

openFDA FAERS release of 1 Oct 2026. Reports received through 30 Jun 2026.

Drugs of the class

The rows are in order of name. A brand name and its generic name are separate rows, because reporters name them separately.

FDA says:

Additionally, it is important to remember that adverse event reports represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product. Common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product.

Source: openFDA, Drug Adverse Event Overview. The site read the page on .

Importantly, the AEMS data by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic.

Source: FDA, FDA Adverse Event Monitoring System (AEMS) Public Dashboard. Content current as of . The site read the page on .

Drug pages of the class Central nervous system depressant, in order of name
DrugName typeReportsReports, 12 months to June 2026
LumryzSodium oxybateBrand name3,488325
Sodium oxybateGeneric name1,185244
XyremSodium oxybateBrand name61,308218
XywavCalcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium oxybatesBrand name8,4261,317

Reaction lookup

These are the reaction terms that the reports of the class record. Type a term or a plain word to find its count.

What this list leaves out

The table lists the 1,653 reaction terms that 5 or more reports record. A term with fewer than 5 reports is not in the table.

The site keeps reaction terms for 74,376 of the 74,407 reports (99.9%).

The reports of the other years are not in the counts.

So a count in the table can be lower than the count of FDA.

The table shows the first 50 of 1,653 terms.

Reaction terms in the reports that name a central nervous system depressant drug, most reports first
Reaction term (MedDRA) and plain meaningReportsShare of the 74,407 reports
Nauseafeeling sick5,8747.9%
Anxiety4,6376.2%
Somnolencedrowsiness4,4376%
Insomniadifficulty sleeping3,7175%
Headachehead pain3,7115%
Feeling abnormalfeeling odd or not right3,6654.9%
Depressionlow mood3,5834.8%
Fatiguetiredness3,5684.8%
Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness3,4924.7%
Weight decreasedweight loss3,3564.5%
Condition aggravatedthe condition being treated got worse3,1004.2%
Falla fall3,0444.1%
Surgeryan operation3,0134%
Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected2,9023.9%
Product administration interrupted2,8363.8%
Vomitingbeing sick2,8053.8%
Sleep apnoea syndromepauses in breathing during sleep2,7413.7%
Unevaluable eventthe event could not be assessed2,4903.3%
Pre-existing condition improved2,4053.2%
Hypertensionhigh blood pressure2,3463.2%
Intentional product use issuedeliberate use not as intended2,2233%
Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label1,9522.6%
Blood pressure increaseda raised blood pressure reading1,9242.6%
Painpain, site not specified1,8892.5%
Product dose omission issuea dose was missed1,8412.5%
Malaisegeneral feeling of being unwell1,8382.5%
Suicidal ideationthoughts of suicide1,8382.5%
Therapeutic response unexpected1,8022.4%
Tremorshaking1,7872.4%
Nasopharyngitisa cold1,7802.4%
Dyspnoeashortness of breath1,7402.3%
Wrong technique in product usage processthe product was used in the wrong way1,6952.3%
Migraine1,6092.2%
Hospitalisationadmission to hospital1,4151.9%
Hyperhidrosisexcessive sweating1,4101.9%
Product use issuea problem in how the product was used1,4051.9%
Memory impairmentmemory problems1,3831.9%
Diarrhoealoose or frequent stools1,3531.8%
Decreased appetitereduced appetite1,3291.8%
Muscle spasmsmuscle cramps1,3091.8%
Somnambulism1,2481.7%
Confusional stateconfusion1,1981.6%
Intentional dose omission1,1831.6%
Weight increasedweight gain1,1561.6%
Back pain1,1181.5%
Middle insomnia1,1131.5%
Sinusitissinus infection1,0891.5%
Stress1,0701.4%
Gastrooesophageal reflux diseaseacid reflux1,0081.4%
Nephrolithiasiskidney stones1,0011.3%

Download all 1,653 terms of the class (CSV)

The counts add to more than 74,407 reports, because one report can record more than one term. FDA says:

No individual drug is connected to any individual reaction. When a report lists multiple drugs and multiple reactions, there is no way to conclude from the data therein that a given drug is responsible for a given reaction.

Source: openFDA, Drug Adverse Event Overview. The site read the page on .

Reports by month

Reports that name a central nervous system depressant drug, by month, five years to June 2026
01,0002,00020222023202420252026

FDA releases FAERS data every quarter, so the newest months are not complete. They grow in later releases.

Outcomes, patients and reporters

Outcomes in the reports of the class Central nervous system depressant
OutcomeReportsShareShare as a bar
Death1,0571.4%
Life-threatening2000.3%
Hospitalization (initial or prolonged)9,57712.9%
Disability or Permanent Damage5190.7%
Congenital Anomaly/Birth Defect21under 0.1%
Other Serious (Important Medical Events)36,04348.4%
Not serious33,93845.6%

An outcome in a report is not proof that a drug was the cause. The reporter gives the outcome, and FDA does not verify it. A report can have more than one outcome. FDA says:

The information in these reports has not been scientifically or otherwise verified as to a cause and effect relationship and cannot be used to estimate the incidence of these events.

Source: openFDA, Drug Adverse Event Overview. The site read the page on .

Age of the patient in the reports of the class Central nervous system depressant
AgeReportsShareShare as a bar
Under 2490.1%
2 to 112570.3%
12 to 171,0831.5%
18 to 4416,45422.1%
45 to 6410,81614.5%
65 to 742,0592.8%
75 and over7891.1%
Age not given42,90057.7%
Type of reporter in the reports of the class Central nervous system depressant
ReporterReportsShareShare as a bar
Physician12,48816.8%
Pharmacist2680.4%
Other health professional9,20012.4%
Lawyer7under 0.1%
Consumer or non-health professional27,40636.8%
Not given25,03833.7%

Official pages

The site checked these addresses on . The links open in a new tab.

Cite this page

Reported Reactions. Central nervous system depressant: adverse event reports that FDA received. https://reportedreactions.com/class/central-nervous-system-depressant/ Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, openFDA Drug Adverse Event (FAERS) files, release of . Reports received through .

Where the data come from

The counts come from the openFDA Drug Adverse Event (FAERS) bulk files, release of 1 Oct 2026. The files have the reports that FDA received through 30 Jun 2026. A drug name is the name on the report. The site matches it to a brand name or a generic name of the National Drug Code Directory of 2 Oct 2026. A class is the pharmacologic class (EPC) of the FDA label.

The class of a drug is the Established Pharmacologic Class that openFDA attaches to its reports most often. When the reports have none, it is the class in the NDC Directory. The site does not publish a report narrative, a lot number, a detail of a patient or the identity of a reporter. The record of FDA is the authority. See how the site counts reports, the data sources and the corrections page.

Questions

Which drugs are in the Central nervous system depressant class on this site?

Lumryz, Sodium oxybate, Xyrem and Xywav, in order of name. The class of a drug comes from the pharmacologic class (EPC) on its FDA label.

Can the table of drugs rank the drugs?

No. FDA says:

Additionally, it is important to remember that adverse event reports represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product.

Source: openFDA, Drug Adverse Event Overview. The site read the page on .

Common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product.

Source: openFDA, Drug Adverse Event Overview. The site read the page on .

Drugs also differ in the conditions that they treat and in their time on the market.

How does a person report an adverse event?

FDA runs MedWatch, a program that takes voluntary reports from health professionals, patients and consumers. The guide on how to report has the links.