disulfiram Side Effects
Also known as: Antabuse
Analysis of 1,076 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.
Total Reports
1,076
Death-Related
111
10.3% of reports
Hospitalizations
504
46.8% 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 111 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DEATH | 19 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 18 |
| COMPLETED SUICIDE | 18 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 16 |
| RESPIRATORY ARREST | 12 |
| CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST | 10 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 10 |
| LACTIC ACIDOSIS | 9 |
| DRUG INTERACTION | 8 |
| DRUG-INDUCED LIVER INJURY | 8 |
| RENAL FAILURE | 8 |
| ACUTE HEPATIC FAILURE | 5 |
| DRUG ABUSE | 5 |
| HEPATIC FAILURE | 5 |
| HYPOTENSION | 5 |
| MULTI-ORGAN FAILURE | 5 |
| ALCOHOL INTOLERANCE | 4 |
| CONFUSIONAL STATE | 4 |
| CONVULSION | 4 |
| DYSPNOEA | 4 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 504 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DRUG INTERACTION | 82 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 37 |
| OVERDOSE | 35 |
| CONFUSIONAL STATE | 32 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 30 |
| ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 29 |
| TOXIC ENCEPHALOPATHY | 29 |
| NAUSEA | 27 |
| MILK-ALKALI SYNDROME | 26 |
| SOMNOLENCE | 26 |
| DRUG ABUSE | 25 |
| FATIGUE | 25 |
| HYPERCALCAEMIA | 25 |
| VOMITING | 25 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 24 |
| MALAISE | 24 |
| ASTHENIA | 23 |
| PSYCHOTIC DISORDER | 20 |
| ENCEPHALOPATHY | 19 |
| SUICIDE ATTEMPT | 19 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About disulfiram Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 1,076 voluntary reports linked to disulfiram and its brand equivalents (Antabuse), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 111 (10.3%) listed death as an outcome and 504 (46.8%) 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, 35% were female and 65% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 393 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is off label use with 123 submissions, followed by drug interaction 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.