Prescription medication · Vasopressor (Alpha-1 Agonist)
norepinephrine
Also sold as Levophed. This medicine treats severe, sudden low blood pressure in adults.
- 10,232
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- 50
- InteractionsMany interactions
- 3
- Recall records
What the data shows
norepinephrine (Levophed) is a prescription Vasopressor (Alpha-1 Agonist), reported less often than most tracked drugs (10,232 FDA reports), with 50 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
norepinephrine (Levophed) is a prescription Vasopressor (Alpha-1 Agonist). This medicine treats severe, sudden low blood pressure in adults.
Norepinephrine injection raises blood pressure in adults with very low blood pressure. It belongs to a class of drugs called vasopressors.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
What it does
This medicine treats severe, sudden low blood pressure in adults.
Common side effects
High blood pressure, Slow heart rate, Anxiety
Key warnings
Norepinephrine can cause tissue damage if it leaks out of the vein.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from norepinephrine's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Norepinephrine works by tightening blood vessels. This increases blood pressure. It helps to improve blood flow to your organs.
How to Take It
A healthcare provider will give you this medicine through a vein (IV). The starting dose is 8 to 12 mcg per minute. The provider will adjust the dose to reach your target blood pressure. Your blood pressure will be checked often during the infusion.
This is a plain-language summary of norepinephrine's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
This medicine may be used during pregnancy if needed. Low blood pressure during pregnancy can be dangerous for both mother and baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.
This is a plain-language summary of norepinephrine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
Since a healthcare provider gives you this medicine, you are not likely to miss a dose.
This is a plain-language summary of norepinephrine's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store at room temperature, away from light, until use. Discard any unused medicine.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 10,232 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for norepinephrine, by number of reports
- Low blood pressure
Low blood pressure
1,011 reports
- Sudden kidney damage
Sudden kidney damage
747 reports
- Failure of multiple organs
Failure of multiple organs
652 reports
- Poisoning from different substances
Poisoning from different substances
624 reports
- Condition getting worse
Condition getting worse
560 reports
- Blood infection
Blood infection
537 reports
- Heart stops
Heart stops
533 reports
- Shock due to heart problems
Shock due to heart problems
503 reports
- Shock due to blood infection
Shock due to blood infection
438 reports
- Lung failure 375
Lung failure
375 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for norepinephrine each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where norepinephrine sits
norepinephrine has more FDA adverse-event reports than 40% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is norepinephrine; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 10,232 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
10,232
Reports Mentioning Death
3,288
32.1% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
5,663
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | HYPOTENSION | 1,011 |
| 4 | ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 747 |
| 5 | MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME | 652 |
| 6 | TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 624 |
| 7 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 560 |
| 8 | SEPSIS | 537 |
| 9 | CARDIAC ARREST | 533 |
| 10 | CARDIOGENIC SHOCK | 503 |
| 11 | SEPTIC SHOCK | 438 |
| 12 | RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 375 |
| 13 | SHOCK | 374 |
| 14 | METABOLIC ACIDOSIS | 346 |
| 15 | INTENTIONAL OVERDOSE | 327 |
| 16 | DRUG INTERACTION | 325 |
| 17 | VOMITING | 325 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Norepinephrine can cause tissue damage if it leaks out of the vein. The medicine can also cause very low blood pressure if stopped suddenly. It may also cause irregular heartbeats, especially if you have heart problems. Allergic reactions are possible due to the sulfite ingredient.
Known Drug Interactions
Excessive reduction of blood glucose (additive effect) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.14)] ; CNS depressant agents (including opioids, alcohol, sedatives, hypnotics) Use with caution Increased CNS depression Dietary supplements containing sympathomimetics Contraindicated Antidepressants including but not limited to: • Other MAOIs (e.g., linezolid, intravenous methylene blue, selective MAOIs) • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) • Tricyclic antidepressants • Amoxapine, bupropion, maprotiline, nefazodone, trazodone,...
Mechanism: This combination stops the body from clearing norepinephrine, which can cause blood pressure to rise to levels that may cause a stroke or heart attack.
What to do: Avoid using these drugs at the same time. If they must be used in a hospital setting, your vital signs must be monitored constantly by medical staff.
7.2 Drugs Metabolized by Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Drugs known to be metabolized by COMT, such as isoproterenol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, dobutamine, alpha-methyldopa, apomorphine, isoetherine, and bitolterol should be administered with caution in patients receiving entacapone regardless of the route of administration (including inhalation), as their interaction may result in increased heart rates, possibly arrhythmias, and excessive changes in blood pressure [ see Warnings and Precautions (5.10) ].
Mechanism: These drugs are broken down by the same enzyme in the body. Taking them together can cause the drugs to build up, leading to a fast heart rate or high blood pressure.
What to do: Use this combination with caution. Your doctor should monitor your heart rate and blood pressure closely.
( 7.3 ) Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), warfarin, selective serotonin and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, SNRIs): Increases risk of bleeding. 7.6 SSRIs and SNRIs Since selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) affect platelet activation, the concomitant administration of SSRIs and SNRIs with clopidogrel may increase the risk of bleeding.
Mechanism: Both of these medications affect how your blood cells, called platelets, stick together to form clots. Taking them at the same time can make it harder for your blood to clot, which raises the risk of bleeding.
What to do: Use caution when taking these medications together and watch for unusual bruising or bleeding. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any signs of bleeding.
Prescribers should wait for chorea or dyskinesia to reemerge before administering AUSTEDO XR or AUSTEDO to help reduce the risk of overdosage and major depletion of serotonin and norepinephrine in the central nervous system.
Mechanism: This medication can lower the levels of norepinephrine in your brain. Taking it when levels are already low could cause a severe and dangerous drop in this important chemical.
What to do: Your doctor will wait for your symptoms to return before starting this medication to ensure your chemical levels are safe.
Sympathomimetics Epinephrine Norepinephrine Dopamine Can increase the risk of cardiac arrhythmias Neuromuscular Blocking Agents Succinylcholine May cause sudden extrusion of potassium from muscle cells causing arrhythmias in patients taking digoxin.
Mechanism: These medications both stimulate the heart, which can lead to a higher risk of irregular heartbeats when used at the same time.
What to do: Use this combination with caution and have your heart rhythm monitored by a healthcare professional.
This is a plain-language summary of interactions documented in FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before combining medications.
Common Questions
How will this medicine be given to me?
How often will my blood pressure be checked?
What should I do if the IV site starts to hurt or swell?
Can this medicine cause any allergic reactions?
What happens if the medicine leaks out of the vein?
Can I stop this medicine suddenly?
Will this medicine affect my blood sugar?
Are there any other medicines that can interact with this?
Can elderly patients take this medication?
What should I do if I experience any side effects?
What are the common side effects of norepinephrine?
Does norepinephrine interact with other medications?
What drug class is norepinephrine?
Is norepinephrine safe during pregnancy?
Has norepinephrine been recalled?
Active Recalls
Lack of Assurance of Sterility; blue Break-Off-Part could detach from the administration port
Fagron Compounding Services
Lack of Assurance of Sterility; blue Break-Off-Part could detach from the administration port
Fagron Compounding Services
Lack of Assurance of Sterility
Apollo Care, LLC
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What the FDA Data Shows for norepinephrine
The FDA label for norepinephrine (sold under brand names such as Levophed) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Vasopressor (Alpha-1 Agonist) class. This medicine treats severe, sudden low blood pressure in adults. Official labeling lists 5 commonly reported side effects, including High blood pressure, Slow heart rate, Anxiety.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 10,232 voluntary reports. The database also lists 50 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 3 recall records on file), and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: June 17, 2025
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages