brivaracetam Side Effects
Also known as: Briviact
Analysis of 4,286 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2010 to 2025.
Total Reports
4,286
Death-Related
236
5.5% of reports
Hospitalizations
1,362
31.8% of reports
Top Indication
Seizure
Most Reported Adverse Reactions
Who Reports Side Effects
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Reporting Trend by Year
Reactions in Death Reports
Top reactions reported in 236 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DEATH | 81 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 25 |
| SEIZURE | 25 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 23 |
| SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED DEATH IN EPILEPSY | 19 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 15 |
| COMPLETED SUICIDE | 14 |
| OVERDOSE | 13 |
| CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST | 9 |
| RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 9 |
| CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT | 8 |
| MATERNAL DEATH | 8 |
| PARTIAL SEIZURES | 8 |
| PRODUCT USE ISSUE | 7 |
| GENERALISED TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURE | 6 |
| STATUS EPILEPTICUS | 6 |
| ANGER | 5 |
| BALANCE DISORDER | 5 |
| CONFUSIONAL STATE | 5 |
| EPILEPSY | 5 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 1,362 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| SEIZURE | 492 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 188 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 159 |
| FALL | 99 |
| THERAPY INTERRUPTED | 82 |
| OVERDOSE | 76 |
| DIZZINESS | 74 |
| HOSPITALISATION | 69 |
| STATUS EPILEPTICUS | 68 |
| GENERALISED TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURE | 65 |
| SOMNOLENCE | 65 |
| FATIGUE | 59 |
| PRODUCT USE ISSUE | 53 |
| VOMITING | 52 |
| EPILEPSY | 49 |
| PRODUCT AVAILABILITY ISSUE | 48 |
| DEPRESSION | 47 |
| MEMORY IMPAIRMENT | 46 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 45 |
| PNEUMONIA | 43 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About brivaracetam Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 4,286 voluntary reports linked to brivaracetam and its brand equivalents (Briviact), spanning 2010 through 2025. Of those, 236 (5.5%) listed death as an outcome and 1,362 (31.8%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Seizure.
Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 53% were female and 47% male; age distribution skews toward 18-44, with 1,264 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is seizure with 1,810 submissions, followed by drug ineffective and off label use.
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.