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dofetilide Side Effects

Also known as: Tikosyn

Analysis of 10,302 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

10,302

Death-Related

799

7.8% of reports

Hospitalizations

2,960

28.7% of reports

Top Indication

Atrial Fibrillation

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
1,058
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
1,024
DYSPNOEA
603
DIZZINESS
552
FATIGUE
520
DEATH
478
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM QT PROLONGED
443
HEADACHE
387
MALAISE
319
DIARRHOEA
316
DRUG INTERACTION
297
NAUSEA
288
HEART RATE INCREASED
286
ASTHENIA
285
ARRHYTHMIA
265
CARDIAC DISORDER
248
OFF LABEL USE
238
COUGH
223
PALPITATIONS
222
CONDITION AGGRAVATED
217

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 4,502 (48%)
Male 4,743 (51%)
Unknown 101

Age Distribution

0-17 30 (1%)
18-44 141 (2%)
45-64 1,274 (22%)
65-74 2,054 (35%)
75+ 2,423 (41%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 799 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 478
CARDIAC ARREST 39
CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE 34
DYSPNOEA 33
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 32
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION 31
PNEUMONIA 27
CARDIAC FAILURE 25
RENAL FAILURE 23
CARDIAC DISORDER 22
COMPLETED SUICIDE 20
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE 19
FATIGUE 19
SEPSIS 17
HYPOTENSION 16
VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA 16
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 15
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 15
WEIGHT DECREASED 15
ASTHENIA 14

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 2,960 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION 504
DYSPNOEA 278
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 240
DIZZINESS 173
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM QT PROLONGED 169
FATIGUE 155
PNEUMONIA 150
FALL 130
HEART RATE INCREASED 121
ASTHENIA 120
CARDIAC DISORDER 112
ARRHYTHMIA 110
DIARRHOEA 110
HEADACHE 109
NAUSEA 108
CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE 105
VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA 103
HOSPITALISATION 101
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 100
CHEST PAIN 97

Nearby — Related Medications

Compare dofetilide vs adenosine →

What the FAERS Data Reveals About dofetilide Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 10,302 voluntary reports linked to dofetilide and its brand equivalents (Tikosyn), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 799 (7.8%) listed death as an outcome and 2,960 (28.7%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Atrial Fibrillation.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 48% were female and 51% male; age distribution skews toward 75+, with 2,423 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is atrial fibrillation with 1,058 submissions, followed by drug ineffective and dyspnoea.

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.