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Drug side effects

cenobamate Side Effects

The reactions most often reported to the FDA for cenobamate (also sold as Xcopri), with demographics, serious outcomes, and reporting trends.

Data updated 2026-05-15

6,460
FAERS reports

Data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), 2019 to 2025. A FAERS report records a temporal association, not proof of cause. See our methodology for how figures are compiled and de-duplicated.

The most commonly reported side effects of cenobamate come from 6,460 reports to the FDA, broken down here by frequency, patient demographics, and serious outcomes.

This page analyzes 6,460 reports to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) for cenobamate (Xcopri): the reactions reported most often, who reported them, serious outcomes such as hospitalization, and year-over-year trends. A FAERS report does not prove the drug caused the effect, and report volume tracks how widely a drug is used, not how likely an effect is for any one person. Educational information, not medical advice.

Total Reports

6,460

Reports Mentioning Death

156

2.4% of reports — not proof the medicine caused the death

Hospitalizations

1,300

20.1% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

SEIZURE
1,815
FATIGUE
672
SOMNOLENCE
660
DIZZINESS
537
FALL
368
HEADACHE
317
DRUG INTERACTION
311
FEELING ABNORMAL
245
GAIT DISTURBANCE
242
BALANCE DISORDER
219
NAUSEA
201
MEMORY IMPAIRMENT
198
RASH
176
HOSPITALISATION
159
VOMITING
157

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 555 (54%)
Male 466 (45%)
Unknown 10

Age Distribution

0-17 89 (11%)
18-44 486 (58%)
45-64 194 (23%)
65-74 43 (5%)
75+ 19 (2%)

Reporting Trend by Year

19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 156 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 64
SEIZURE 27
CARDIAC ARREST 13
SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED DEATH IN EPILEPSY 12
COMPLETED SUICIDE 11
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 9
FALL 5
AGITATION 4
HOSPITALISATION 4
HYPOTENSION 4
SOMNOLENCE 4
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 4
BRADYCARDIA 3
CHEST PAIN 3
DECREASED APPETITE 3
DIZZINESS 3
HEAD INJURY 3

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 1,300 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
SEIZURE 486
HOSPITALISATION 159
FALL 158
SOMNOLENCE 127
DIZZINESS 121
DRUG INTERACTION 107
FATIGUE 105
BALANCE DISORDER 58
GAIT DISTURBANCE 58
VOMITING 57
ASTHENIA 50
PNEUMONIA 47
DECREASED APPETITE 46
STATUS EPILEPTICUS 45
DYSARTHRIA 44

Compare cenobamate vs brivaracetam →

What the FAERS Data Reveals About cenobamate Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 6,460 voluntary reports linked to cenobamate and its brand equivalents (Xcopri), spanning 2019 through 2025. Of those, 156 (2.4%) listed death as an outcome and 1,300 (20.1%) 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, 54% were female and 45% male; age distribution skews toward 18-44, with 486 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is seizure with 1,815 submissions, followed by fatigue and somnolence.

How to read these numbers

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.