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cefixime Side Effects

Also known as: Suprax

Analysis of 2,824 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

2,824

Death-Related

188

6.7% of reports

Hospitalizations

1,301

46.1% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

DRUG INEFFECTIVE
276
OFF LABEL USE
268
PYREXIA
162
NAUSEA
155
DIARRHOEA
150
PAIN
143
FATIGUE
131
DYSPNOEA
130
MALAISE
129
HEADACHE
122
VOMITING
116
ABDOMINAL PAIN
111
CONDITION AGGRAVATED
110
ASTHENIA
88
COVID-19
87
CONSTIPATION
84
COUGH
84
PNEUMONIA
84
ANAEMIA
82
ARTHRALGIA
80

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 1,577 (63%)
Male 933 (37%)
Unknown 8

Age Distribution

0-17 304 (14%)
18-44 488 (23%)
45-64 629 (30%)
65-74 415 (19%)
75+ 296 (14%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 188 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 40
SEPTIC SHOCK 26
PNEUMONIA 16
PYREXIA 15
TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS 14
OFF LABEL USE 12
SEPSIS 12
DYSPNOEA 11
HYPOTENSION 10
NEUTROPENIA 10
FATIGUE 9
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 9
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 9
COMPLETED SUICIDE 8
HYPERGLYCAEMIA 8
LEUKOPENIA 8
ABDOMINAL PAIN 7
CHILLS 7
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 7
FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA 7

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 1,301 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
PYREXIA 122
OFF LABEL USE 101
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 78
NAUSEA 76
PAIN 72
DIARRHOEA 70
FEBRILE NEUTROPENIA 70
VOMITING 67
ABDOMINAL PAIN 65
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 63
PNEUMONIA 63
MALAISE 57
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 55
CONSTIPATION 52
FATIGUE 52
ANAEMIA 51
COUGH 50
HEADACHE 50
DYSPNOEA 48
ASTHENIA 47

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About cefixime Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 2,824 voluntary reports linked to cefixime and its brand equivalents (Suprax), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 188 (6.7%) listed death as an outcome and 1,301 (46.1%) 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, 63% were female and 37% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 629 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 276 submissions, followed by off label use and pyrexia.

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.