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amikacin Side Effects

Also known as: Amikin

Analysis of 16,238 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

16,238

Death-Related

3,283

20.2% of reports

Hospitalizations

6,935

42.7% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

OFF LABEL USE
1,908
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
1,673
COUGH
1,620
DYSPNOEA
1,556
HOSPITALISATION
1,360
THERAPY INTERRUPTED
1,348
DEATH
1,103
DYSPHONIA
977
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE
730
NAUSEA
721
FATIGUE
702
PNEUMONIA
649
DIARRHOEA
634
PYREXIA
632
PRODUCTIVE COUGH
598
CONDITION AGGRAVATED
566
DRUG RESISTANCE
554
PRODUCT USE IN UNAPPROVED INDICATION
507
APHONIA
491
VOMITING
465

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 8,081 (54%)
Male 6,794 (46%)
Unknown 41

Age Distribution

0-17 1,599 (16%)
18-44 2,124 (21%)
45-64 2,877 (28%)
65-74 1,996 (20%)
75+ 1,556 (15%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 3,283 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 1,103
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 553
OFF LABEL USE 330
DYSPNOEA 277
SEPTIC SHOCK 266
THERAPY INTERRUPTED 220
PNEUMONIA 214
MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME 203
HOSPITALISATION 189
COUGH 188
SEPSIS 162
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 157
PYREXIA 141
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 113
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE 109
ASTHENIA 105
CARDIAC ARREST 97
DRUG RESISTANCE 97
THROMBOCYTOPENIA 95
FATIGUE 94

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 6,935 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
HOSPITALISATION 1,360
THERAPY INTERRUPTED 1,038
OFF LABEL USE 826
DYSPNOEA 821
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 799
COUGH 741
PNEUMONIA 519
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE 465
PYREXIA 423
DEATH 401
DYSPHONIA 362
NAUSEA 348
DIARRHOEA 334
FATIGUE 303
PRODUCTIVE COUGH 277
ASTHENIA 274
MALAISE 269
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 264
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 262
THROMBOCYTOPENIA 256

Nearby — Related Medications

Compare amikacin vs amoxicillin →

What the FAERS Data Reveals About amikacin Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 16,238 voluntary reports linked to amikacin and its brand equivalents (Amikin), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 3,283 (20.2%) listed death as an outcome and 6,935 (42.7%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Product Used For Unknown Indication.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 54% were female and 46% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 2,877 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is off label use with 1,908 submissions, followed by drug ineffective and cough.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.