Generic name
Nitrous oxide: adverse event reports filed with FDA
1,305 reports list it as a suspect or interacting product, 2004–2026.
- 1,305
- reports as suspect product
- 0% of all reports · about 59 a year
- 132
- reports, 12 months to June 2026
- 68 in the 12 months before
- 96.6%
- marked serious by the reporter
- 57.4% across all reports
- 13%
- record death among outcomes, as reported
- 169 reports · not verified by FDA
Between April 2004 and June 2026, 1,305 adverse event reports received by FDA list nitrous oxide, a generic name as a suspect or interacting product. Reports that mention it only as a concomitant medication (955) are left out of every figure here.
In the 12 months to June 2026, 132 reports listed it, up 94% from 68 in 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 59 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.
The MedDRA terms listed most often are drug abuse (11%), subacute combined cord degeneration (6.4%) and toxicity to various agents (4.4%). A report can list several reactions, so shares add to more than 100%; 365 different terms appear across these reports. Drug abuse is recorded in 11% of these reports, against 0.4% of all reports in the database.
96.6% of the reports are marked serious by the reporter; 13% record death among the outcomes and 41.5% record hospitalisation, as reported. 42.5% of the reports came from other health professionals, and the largest patient age group is 18 to 44 (42.7%). 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 Nitrous oxide reports recording the termall reports in the database
- Drug abusemisuse of a medicine11%143
- Subacute combined cord degeneration6.4%84
- Toxicity to various agentspoisoning or toxic effect of one or more substances4.4%57
- Drug interactionan interaction between medicines3.9%51
- Vitamin B12 deficiency3.8%50
- Drug dependencedependence on a medicine3.6%47
- Substance use3.6%47
- Cardiac arrestthe heart stopped3.3%43
- Paraesthesiatingling or pins and needles3.3%43
- Choroidal infarction3%39
- Drug use disorder2.7%35
- Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label2.5%33
- Myelopathy2.4%31
- Bradycardiaslow heart rate2.3%30
- Vomitingbeing sick2.2%29
- Agitationrestlessness2.1%28
- Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected2.1%28
- Intentional product misusedeliberate use not as intended2.1%28
- Hypoxialow oxygen2%26
- Leukoencephalopathy1.9%25
- Anaesthetic complication neurological1.8%24
- Muscular weaknessmuscle weakness1.8%24
- Hypotensionlow blood pressure1.8%23
- Nauseafeeling sick1.8%23
- Neuropathy peripheralnerve damage in hands or feet1.8%23
- Somnolencedrowsiness1.8%23
- Gait disturbancedifficulty walking1.7%22
- Pulmonary embolisma blood clot in the lung1.7%22
- Pulmonary oedemafluid in the lungs1.7%22
- Ventricular fibrillationa chaotic rhythm from the lower heart chambers1.6%21
Top 30 of 365 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. 32% of reports give the United States as the country of the event or reporter.
Reason for use recorded
| Indication as recorded (MedDRA) | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| General anaesthesia | 126 | 9.7% |
| Anaesthesia | 106 | 8.1% |
| Drug abuse | 106 | 8.1% |
| Maintenance of anaesthesia | 83 | 6.4% |
| Induction of anaesthesia | 72 | 5.5% |
| Substance use | 45 | 3.4% |
The indication field is filled in by the reporter and is often blank; shares are of all 1,305 reports.
Drugs most often listed in the same reports
| Drug (any role in the report) | Reports | Share of Nitrous oxide reports |
|---|---|---|
| Propofol | 248 | 19% |
| Sevoflurane | 231 | 17.7% |
| Fentanyl | 202 | 15.5% |
| Oxygen | 174 | 13.3% |
| Midazolam | 80 | 6.1% |
| Morphine | 65 | 5% |
| Rocuronium | 59 | 4.5% |
| Acetaminophen | 49 | 3.8% |
| Lidocaine | 47 | 3.6% |
| Diazepam | 45 | 3.4% |
Other products listed in reports where Nitrous oxide 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 | Nitrous oxide | All reports |
|---|---|---|
| Reports as suspect product | 1,305 | 20,646,523 |
| Share of that pool | — | 0% |
| Reports, latest 12 months | 132 | 1,332,454 |
| Marked serious | 96.6% | 57.4% |
| Death recorded among outcomes, per 1,000 reports | 130 | 91 |
| Hospitalisation recorded, per 1,000 reports | 415 | 213 |
| Consumer-filed share | 7% | 45.8% |
| Top term, share of reports | Drug abuse 11% | 0.4% |
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 Nitrous oxide reports
How many adverse event reports has FDA received for Nitrous oxide?
1,305 reports list Nitrous oxide as a suspect or interacting product in the openFDA FAERS release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through June 2026. 132 of them arrived in the latest 12 months. Another 955 list it only as a concomitant medication.
What reactions are recorded in Nitrous oxide reports?
drug abuse (11%), subacute combined cord degeneration (6.4%), toxicity to various agents (4.4%), drug interaction (3.9%) and vitamin B12 deficiency (3.8%). 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 Nitrous oxide was responsible.
How serious are the reports?
96.6% are marked serious by the reporter. Among the outcomes recorded, 13% of reports include death and 41.5% 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 (42.5%), physician (38.4%) and not given (8.7%). Most reports reach FDA through the manufacturer, which must forward reports it receives.
Are reports for Nitrous oxide rising?
132 reports in the 12 months to June 2026, up 94% from 68 in 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 Nitrous oxide 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 Nitrous oxide?
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 Nitrous oxide as a suspect or interacting product; reports listing it only as a concomitant medication (955) 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.