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diflunisal Side Effects

Also known as: Dolobid

Analysis of 799 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

799

Death-Related

66

8.3% of reports

Hospitalizations

236

29.5% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

NAUSEA
66
FATIGUE
57
PAIN
50
DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY
47
HEADACHE
45
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
44
ARTHRALGIA
43
DIARRHOEA
43
FALL
34
DIZZINESS
32
MALAISE
31
PLATELET COUNT DECREASED
31
VOMITING
28
ANXIETY
26
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
26
INJECTION SITE PAIN
26
PNEUMONIA
26
RASH
26
ABDOMINAL PAIN UPPER
25
ASTHENIA
25

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 470 (69%)
Male 206 (30%)
Unknown 1

Age Distribution

0-17 4 (1%)
18-44 69 (15%)
45-64 186 (40%)
65-74 121 (26%)
75+ 87 (19%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 66 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
COMPLETED SUICIDE 25
DEATH 13
CARDIAC ARREST 10
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 7
RESPIRATORY ARREST 7
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 5
CARDIAC FAILURE 4
EYE DISORDER 4
PNEUMONIA 4
RASH 4
RESPIRATORY DISORDER 4
TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS 4
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 3
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 3
FALL 3
GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE 3
PAIN 3
SEPSIS 3
ACUTE HEPATIC FAILURE 2
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 2

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 236 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
FALL 21
NAUSEA 20
PNEUMONIA 19
DIARRHOEA 18
PAIN 18
VOMITING 16
CHEST PAIN 15
FATIGUE 14
MALAISE 14
HEADACHE 13
PLATELET COUNT DECREASED 13
BLOOD CREATININE INCREASED 12
ARTHRALGIA 11
BACK PAIN 11
DIZZINESS 10
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 10
DYSPNOEA 10
ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 9
CARDIAC FAILURE 9
CARDIAC PACEMAKER INSERTION 9

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About diflunisal Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 799 voluntary reports linked to diflunisal and its brand equivalents (Dolobid), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 66 (8.3%) listed death as an outcome and 236 (29.5%) 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, 69% were female and 30% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 186 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is nausea with 66 submissions, followed by fatigue and pain.

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.