Generic name
Dextrose: adverse event reports filed with FDA
3,806 reports list it as a suspect or interacting product, 2004–2026. Also reported as Dextrose Injection.
- 3,806
- reports as suspect product
- 0% of all reports · about 169 a year
- 572
- reports, 12 months to June 2026
- 564 in the 12 months before
- 94.2%
- marked serious by the reporter
- 57.4% across all reports
- 20.2%
- record death among outcomes, as reported
- 769 reports · not verified by FDA
Between January 2004 and June 2026, 3,806 adverse event reports received by FDA list dextrose, a generic name as a suspect or interacting product. Reports that mention it only as a concomitant medication (9,322) are left out of every figure here.
In the 12 months to June 2026, 572 reports listed it, close to the 564 of the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Over its reporting history that is about 169 reports a year and 0% of the 20,646,523 reports in the database. How many people take it is not in the data, so a count is not a rate of occurrence.
Reporters most often recorded drug ineffective (15.2%), off label use (11.9%) and myelosuppression (11.4%). A report can list several reactions, so shares add to more than 100%; 798 different terms appear across these reports. Drug ineffective is recorded in 15.2% of these reports, against 6.3% of all reports in the database.
94.2% of the reports are marked serious by the reporter; 20.2% record death among the outcomes and 43.6% record hospitalisation, as reported. 50.8% of the reports came from other health professionals, and the largest patient age group is 45 to 64 (20.6%). FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event."
Reports by month, five years
Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases.
By year received
2026 covers reports received through June 2026 only.
Reactions recorded in the reports
share of Dextrose reports recording the termall reports in the database
- Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected15.2%579
- Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label11.9%453
- Myelosuppression11.4%432
- Nauseafeeling sick10.4%397
- Vomitingbeing sick10.2%388
- Maternal exposure during pregnancythe mother took the medicine during pregnancy9.4%358
- Hyponatraemialow blood sodium8.8%334
- Condition aggravatedthe condition being treated got worse8.6%327
- Acute kidney injurysudden loss of kidney function8.3%314
- Product use in unapproved indicationused for a purpose not on the label8.1%309
- Sepsisa severe body-wide response to infection7.9%302
- General physical health deteriorationgeneral decline in health7.9%301
- Abdominal painstomach or belly pain7.7%293
- Ascitesfluid in the abdomen7.5%286
- Multiple organ dysfunction syndromeseveral organs failing7.1%271
- Abdominal distensiona bloated abdomen6.9%264
- Dyspnoeashortness of breath6.9%263
- Constipationconstipation6.9%262
- Cardiogenic shockshock from the heart failing to pump6.8%258
- Stressstress6.7%254
- Ventricular fibrillationa chaotic rhythm from the lower heart chambers6.5%249
- Appendicitis6.3%241
- Appendicolith6.3%238
- Premature delivery5.9%225
- Foetal exposure during pregnancythe unborn baby was exposed to the medicine5.7%217
- Drug hypersensitivityan allergic-type reaction to a medicine5.6%214
- Somnolencedrowsiness5.5%209
- Premature babya baby born early5.3%201
- Anaemialow red blood cells5%192
- Pyrexiafever5%191
Top 30 of 798 MedDRA preferred terms recorded across these reports, with a plain-language gloss where one is available. One report can record several terms. The hollow bar is the share of all reports in the database; it describes the reports, not the patients. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Outcomes recorded
Outcome flags as the reporter set them; a report can carry several, and "other serious" is FDA's own category for serious reports outside the named outcomes. Grey bar: all 20,646,523 reports. FDA has not verified any outcome and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence of these events."
Patients and reporters
Patient age
Patient sex
Who reported
Age and sex as stated in the report; the reporter's qualification is the primary source recorded by FDA. 20.7% of reports give the United States as the country of the event or reporter.
Reason for use recorded
| Indication as recorded (MedDRA) | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Medication dilution | 677 | 17.8% |
| Nutritional supplementation | 232 | 6.1% |
| Hypoglycaemia | 197 | 5.2% |
| Arteriogram coronary | 177 | 4.7% |
| Parenteral nutrition | 125 | 3.3% |
| Foetal exposure during pregnancy | 101 | 2.7% |
The indication field is filled in by the reporter and is often blank; shares are of all 3,806 reports.
Drugs most often listed in the same reports
| Drug (any role in the report) | Reports | Share of Dextrose reports |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium chloride | 1,314 | 34.5% |
| Cyclophosphamide | 689 | 18.1% |
| Potassium chloride | 592 | 15.6% |
| Betamethasone | 558 | 14.7% |
| Acetaminophen | 476 | 12.5% |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 426 | 11.2% |
| Magnesium sulfate | 425 | 11.2% |
| Ondansetron | 408 | 10.7% |
| Allopurinol | 384 | 10.1% |
| Azithromycin | 384 | 10.1% |
Other products listed in reports where Dextrose is a suspect product, whatever their own role. Co-listing means the two were recorded together; it says nothing about either product's part in the event. Only the 2,500 most-reported names are counted here.
In context
| Measure | Dextrose | All reports |
|---|---|---|
| Reports as suspect product | 3,806 | 20,646,523 |
| Share of that pool | — | 0% |
| Reports, latest 12 months | 572 | 1,332,454 |
| Marked serious | 94.2% | 57.4% |
| Death recorded among outcomes, per 1,000 reports | 202 | 91 |
| Hospitalisation recorded, per 1,000 reports | 436 | 213 |
| Consumer-filed share | 5.9% | 45.8% |
| Top term, share of reports | Drug ineffective 15.2% | 6.3% |
Shares are of reports, not of patients treated. The number of people taking a product is not in the data, so none of these figures is a rate, and differences between columns reflect who takes a product, who reports and how long it has been sold. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."
Questions about Dextrose reports
How many adverse event reports has FDA received for Dextrose?
3,806 reports list Dextrose as a suspect or interacting product in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through June 2026. 572 of them arrived in the latest 12 months. Another 9,322 list it only as a concomitant medication.
What reactions are recorded in Dextrose reports?
drug ineffective (15.2%), off label use (11.9%), myelosuppression (11.4%), nausea (10.4%) and vomiting (10.2%). These are MedDRA preferred terms coded from what the reporter described; a report can list several, and a term's presence is not a finding that Dextrose was responsible.
How serious are the reports?
94.2% are marked serious by the reporter. Among the outcomes recorded, 20.2% of reports include death and 43.6% include hospitalisation. FDA has not verified these outcomes and states that the reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence" of the events.
Who files these reports?
other health professional (50.8%), physician (34.8%) and consumer or non-health professional (5.9%). Most reports reach FDA through the manufacturer, which must forward reports it receives.
Are reports for Dextrose rising?
572 reports in the 12 months to June 2026, close to the 564 of the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. Counts also move with how many people take a product, its time on the market and publicity.
Do these reports show that Dextrose was responsible for these reactions?
No. FDA states that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report" and that for any given report "there is no certainty that a suspected drug caused the event." The reaction may relate to the condition being treated, to other medicines, or to something else.
Is this a list of the side effects of Dextrose?
No. It is a count of what was reported to FDA. The adverse reactions observed in clinical studies are printed on the FDA-approved label, which a pharmacist or clinician can go through with you.
How do I report an adverse event?
Consumers and health professionals can report to FDA through MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 online, or 1-800-FDA-1088), or to the manufacturer, which must pass reports on. See the guide on how to report.
Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Drug Adverse Event (FAERS) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 30 Jun 2026. Drug names are as reported, resolved to the brand or generic name on the FDA label where openFDA's harmonisation matched them; classes are the pharmacologic class (EPC) from the label and the National Drug Code Directory of 17 Sep 2026. A report counts here when it lists Dextrose as a suspect or interacting product; reports listing it only as a concomitant medication (9,322) are excluded. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.
Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.