chlorpromazine Side Effects
Also known as: Thorazine
Analysis of 6,862 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2001 to 2025.
Total Reports
6,862
Death-Related
1,285
18.7% of reports
Hospitalizations
3,175
46.3% of reports
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Most Reported Adverse Reactions
Who Reports Side Effects
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Reporting Trend by Year
Reactions in Death Reports
Top reactions reported in 1,285 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 245 |
| DEATH | 192 |
| COMPLETED SUICIDE | 188 |
| OVERDOSE | 146 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 104 |
| DIARRHOEA | 96 |
| FATIGUE | 89 |
| NAUSEA | 89 |
| NEUTROPENIA | 89 |
| PLATELET COUNT DECREASED | 84 |
| LEUKOPENIA | 83 |
| SEIZURE | 83 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 81 |
| SCHIZOPHRENIA | 81 |
| DISEASE PROGRESSION | 79 |
| NEUTROPHIL COUNT INCREASED | 79 |
| PSYCHOTIC DISORDER | 78 |
| DRUG INTERACTION | 77 |
| EXTRAPYRAMIDAL DISORDER | 77 |
| AFFECTIVE DISORDER | 76 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 3,175 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| OFF LABEL USE | 255 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 233 |
| OVERDOSE | 218 |
| NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME | 217 |
| DIARRHOEA | 186 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 181 |
| PSYCHOTIC DISORDER | 176 |
| NAUSEA | 172 |
| NEUTROPENIA | 152 |
| SEIZURE | 147 |
| VOMITING | 139 |
| HYPOTENSION | 134 |
| DRUG INTERACTION | 133 |
| SCHIZOPHRENIA | 128 |
| FATIGUE | 127 |
| EXTRAPYRAMIDAL DISORDER | 117 |
| HALLUCINATION, AUDITORY | 117 |
| PYREXIA | 117 |
| SOMNOLENCE | 110 |
| AGGRESSION | 106 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About chlorpromazine Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 6,862 voluntary reports linked to chlorpromazine and its brand equivalents (Thorazine), spanning 2001 through 2025. Of those, 1,285 (18.7%) listed death as an outcome and 3,175 (46.3%) 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, 44% were female and 56% male; age distribution skews toward 18-44, with 2,144 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 527 submissions, followed by off label use and toxicity to various agents.
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.