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dolutegravir Side Effects

Also known as: Tivicay

Analysis of 8,756 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2010 to 2025.

Total Reports

8,756

Death-Related

865

9.9% of reports

Hospitalizations

1,908

21.8% of reports

Top Indication

Hiv Infection

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

PAIN
1,425
ANXIETY
1,051
EMOTIONAL DISTRESS
1,048
ANHEDONIA
942
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
701
FATIGUE
628
EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY
606
HEADACHE
566
OFF LABEL USE
553
RENAL FAILURE
539
RASH
487
FOETAL EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY
478
PYREXIA
445
HYPERTENSION
428
OSTEOPOROSIS
425
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
412
DEPRESSION
406
BONE DENSITY DECREASED
400
DEATH
396
ECONOMIC PROBLEM
388

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 2,600 (35%)
Male 4,713 (64%)
Unknown 27

Age Distribution

0-17 224 (5%)
18-44 1,839 (37%)
45-64 2,345 (47%)
65-74 467 (9%)
75+ 92 (2%)

Reporting Trend by Year

10
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 865 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 390
PAIN 149
FOETAL DEATH 141
FATIGUE 130
PYREXIA 130
THROMBOCYTOPENIA 126
HEPATIC ENZYME INCREASED 125
OFF LABEL USE 121
OVERDOSE 116
EXPOSURE DURING PREGNANCY 115
DRUG INTOLERANCE 114
PRODUCT USE ISSUE 114
RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS 114
HEADACHE 113
PSORIASIS 113
UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION 112
CONSTIPATION 111
HYPERHIDROSIS 111
HYPERTENSION 111
IMMUNODEFICIENCY 111

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 1,908 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
PAIN 307
EMOTIONAL DISTRESS 276
ANXIETY 273
ANHEDONIA 244
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE 220
RENAL FAILURE 213
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 190
HOSPITALISATION 155
FATIGUE 147
END STAGE RENAL DISEASE 121
DEPRESSION 108
ECONOMIC PROBLEM 108
PYREXIA 100
NAUSEA 98
RENAL IMPAIRMENT 95
ASTHENIA 90
OSTEOPOROSIS 85
PNEUMONIA 85
ANAEMIA 83
DYSPNOEA 83

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About dolutegravir Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 8,756 voluntary reports linked to dolutegravir and its brand equivalents (Tivicay), spanning 2010 through 2025. Of those, 865 (9.9%) listed death as an outcome and 1,908 (21.8%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Hiv Infection.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 35% were female and 64% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 2,345 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is pain with 1,425 submissions, followed by anxiety and emotional distress.

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.