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baclofen Side Effects

Also known as: Lioresal, Gablofen

Analysis of 83,476 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2003 to 2025.

Total Reports

83,476

Death-Related

6,213

7.4% of reports

Hospitalizations

27,326

32.7% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

FATIGUE
6,149
PAIN
5,656
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
5,451
FALL
5,421
NAUSEA
4,596
HEADACHE
4,356
GAIT DISTURBANCE
4,107
OFF LABEL USE
3,656
DIZZINESS
3,547
URINARY TRACT INFECTION
3,489
ASTHENIA
3,401
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS RELAPSE
3,388
MUSCLE SPASMS
3,311
DIARRHOEA
3,051
VOMITING
2,826
SOMNOLENCE
2,701
INSOMNIA
2,664
PAIN IN EXTREMITY
2,637
DYSPNOEA
2,624
BACK PAIN
2,440

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 51,669 (66%)
Male 26,068 (33%)
Unknown 173

Age Distribution

0-17 2,376 (4%)
18-44 12,611 (24%)
45-64 27,054 (51%)
65-74 8,322 (16%)
75+ 3,118 (6%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2003 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 6,213 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 1,910
COMPLETED SUICIDE 1,368
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 828
CARDIAC ARREST 342
PNEUMONIA 336
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 245
OFF LABEL USE 221
SEPSIS 191
RESPIRATORY ARREST 188
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 181
OVERDOSE 164
URINARY TRACT INFECTION 157
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS 154
PAIN 151
FALL 149
PNEUMONIA ASPIRATION 148
DYSPNOEA 143
ASTHENIA 132
RENAL FAILURE 129
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 124

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 27,326 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
FALL 2,484
URINARY TRACT INFECTION 2,092
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS RELAPSE 1,733
PAIN 1,716
FATIGUE 1,665
PNEUMONIA 1,640
ASTHENIA 1,475
NAUSEA 1,455
VOMITING 1,287
SOMNOLENCE 1,242
DYSPNOEA 1,224
PYREXIA 1,203
OFF LABEL USE 1,196
HEADACHE 1,186
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 1,131
OVERDOSE 1,121
COMA 1,115
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 1,094
GAIT DISTURBANCE 1,073
CONFUSIONAL STATE 1,028

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About baclofen Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 83,476 voluntary reports linked to baclofen and its brand equivalents (Lioresal, Gablofen), spanning 2003 through 2025. Of those, 6,213 (7.4%) listed death as an outcome and 27,326 (32.7%) 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, 66% were female and 33% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 27,054 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is fatigue with 6,149 submissions, followed by pain and drug ineffective.

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.