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chlorthalidone Side Effects

Also known as: Thalitone

Analysis of 11,035 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

11,035

Death-Related

656

5.9% of reports

Hospitalizations

3,583

32.5% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

FATIGUE
861
NAUSEA
704
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
700
DIARRHOEA
643
DIZZINESS
563
PAIN
541
HEADACHE
513
DYSPNOEA
509
OFF LABEL USE
498
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY
471
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
455
ARTHRALGIA
432
ASTHENIA
420
BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASED
388
HYPERTENSION
387
VOMITING
377
FALL
361
MALAISE
344
PRURITUS
340
RASH
326

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 5,713 (56%)
Male 4,471 (44%)
Unknown 8

Age Distribution

0-17 38 (1%)
18-44 473 (6%)
45-64 2,757 (38%)
65-74 2,159 (29%)
75+ 1,914 (26%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 656 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 274
COMPLETED SUICIDE 54
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 48
PNEUMONIA 43
RENAL FAILURE 39
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE 37
DYSPNOEA 33
HYPOTENSION 33
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 32
FATIGUE 29
CARDIAC ARREST 27
END STAGE RENAL DISEASE 26
FALL 22
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 19
OFF LABEL USE 18
SEPSIS 18
COUGH 17
COAGULOPATHY 16
URINARY TRACT INFECTION 16
ANAEMIA 15

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 3,583 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 299
NAUSEA 279
FATIGUE 248
DYSPNOEA 238
HYPONATRAEMIA 230
FALL 225
VOMITING 222
DIARRHOEA 217
PNEUMONIA 216
ASTHENIA 200
DIZZINESS 189
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 172
PAIN 171
PYREXIA 162
OFF LABEL USE 161
DEHYDRATION 156
HYPOKALAEMIA 153
MALAISE 151
HYPOTENSION 146
HEADACHE 144

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About chlorthalidone Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 11,035 voluntary reports linked to chlorthalidone and its brand equivalents (Thalitone), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 656 (5.9%) listed death as an outcome and 3,583 (32.5%) 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, 56% were female and 44% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 2,757 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is fatigue with 861 submissions, followed by nausea 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.