dobutamine Side Effects
Also known as: Dobutrex
Analysis of 3,554 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.
Total Reports
3,554
Death-Related
1,361
38.3% of reports
Hospitalizations
1,820
51.2% 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 1,361 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME | 335 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 311 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 301 |
| SEPSIS | 297 |
| CARDIOGENIC SHOCK | 280 |
| GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION | 263 |
| DEATH | 241 |
| ABDOMINAL DISTENSION | 239 |
| ASCITES | 236 |
| STRESS | 232 |
| APPENDICITIS | 229 |
| HYPONATRAEMIA | 229 |
| VOMITING | 229 |
| NAUSEA | 227 |
| APPENDICOLITH | 225 |
| ABDOMINAL PAIN | 224 |
| CONSTIPATION | 216 |
| VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION | 207 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 203 |
| BLOOD PHOSPHORUS INCREASED | 146 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 1,820 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 504 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 254 |
| CARDIOGENIC SHOCK | 223 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 197 |
| MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME | 176 |
| DYSPNOEA | 168 |
| SEPSIS | 160 |
| NAUSEA | 147 |
| ANAEMIA | 144 |
| VOMITING | 141 |
| HYPOTENSION | 137 |
| GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION | 133 |
| ABDOMINAL DISTENSION | 130 |
| VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION | 122 |
| PULMONARY EMBOLISM | 121 |
| SOMNOLENCE | 119 |
| ASCITES | 117 |
| ABDOMINAL PAIN | 116 |
| HYPONATRAEMIA | 114 |
| MYASTHENIA GRAVIS | 111 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About dobutamine Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 3,554 voluntary reports linked to dobutamine and its brand equivalents (Dobutrex), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 1,361 (38.3%) listed death as an outcome and 1,820 (51.2%) 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 45-64, with 889 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 744 submissions, followed by off label use and cardiogenic shock.
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.