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cromolyn Side Effects

Also known as: Intal

Analysis of 3,396 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

3,396

Death-Related

47

1.4% of reports

Hospitalizations

408

12.0% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

TREATMENT FAILURE
1,004
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
314
FATIGUE
207
NAUSEA
183
HEADACHE
178
DIARRHOEA
153
DYSPNOEA
149
OFF LABEL USE
142
URTICARIA
141
HYPERSENSITIVITY
132
DIZZINESS
130
PRURITUS
128
PAIN
119
ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION
117
MALAISE
114
CONDITION AGGRAVATED
99
ASTHMA
93
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE
92
RASH
90
FEELING ABNORMAL
85

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 2,265 (72%)
Male 859 (27%)
Unknown 4

Age Distribution

0-17 107 (8%)
18-44 378 (27%)
45-64 514 (37%)
65-74 242 (18%)
75+ 137 (10%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 47 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 20
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 4
CARDIAC ARREST 3
PNEUMONIA 3
PULMONARY EMBOLISM 3
SEPSIS 3
SEPTIC SHOCK 3
CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT 2
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE 2
COMPRESSION FRACTURE 2
DIARRHOEA 2
DYSPNOEA 2
ERYTHEMA 2
FALL 2
LEUKOCYTOSIS 2
NAUSEA 2
OBESITY 2
OEDEMA 2
RASH ERYTHEMATOUS 2
RESPIRATORY DISTRESS 2

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 408 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
NAUSEA 53
FATIGUE 46
DIARRHOEA 43
HEADACHE 42
URTICARIA 41
DYSPNOEA 40
ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION 37
DIZZINESS 37
VOMITING 34
ASTHMA 32
PAIN 32
HYPERSENSITIVITY 31
PYREXIA 31
OFF LABEL USE 30
FALL 29
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE 28
BACK PAIN 26
CHEST PAIN 26
COUGH 26
MIGRAINE 26

Nearby — Related Medications

Compare cromolyn vs aclidinium →

What the FAERS Data Reveals About cromolyn Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 3,396 voluntary reports linked to cromolyn and its brand equivalents (Intal), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 47 (1.4%) listed death as an outcome and 408 (12.0%) 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, 72% were female and 27% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 514 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is treatment failure with 1,004 submissions, followed by drug ineffective and fatigue.

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.