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esketamine Side Effects

Also known as: Spravato

Analysis of 15,846 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2015 to 2025.

Total Reports

15,846

Death-Related

641

4.0% of reports

Hospitalizations

2,714

17.1% of reports

Top Indication

Depression

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

DISSOCIATION
3,351
SEDATION
2,465
SUICIDAL IDEATION
1,233
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
1,032
NAUSEA
876
DEPRESSION
808
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE
709
HOSPITALISATION
702
HYPERTENSION
688
ANXIETY
681
VOMITING
643
DIZZINESS
597
BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASED
518
FEELING ABNORMAL
455
OFF LABEL USE
365
HEADACHE
306
DEATH
291
SUICIDE ATTEMPT
289
FATIGUE
276
ADVERSE EVENT
275

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 8,844 (66%)
Male 4,563 (34%)
Unknown 1

Age Distribution

0-17 881 (8%)
18-44 4,243 (41%)
45-64 3,916 (38%)
65-74 1,107 (11%)
75+ 218 (2%)

Reporting Trend by Year

15
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 641 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 291
COMPLETED SUICIDE 229
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 19
ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENT 15
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE 14
OVERDOSE 13
SUICIDAL IDEATION 13
DEPRESSION 12
SEDATION 11
DISSOCIATION 10
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 10
SUICIDE ATTEMPT 10
ANXIETY 9
COVID-19 8
CARDIAC ARREST 7
HOSPITALISATION 7
FALL 6
INTENTIONAL OVERDOSE 5
NEOPLASM MALIGNANT 5
PULMONARY EMBOLISM 5

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 2,714 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
HOSPITALISATION 696
SUICIDAL IDEATION 329
DISSOCIATION 313
SEDATION 207
DEPRESSION 198
SUICIDE ATTEMPT 172
HYPERTENSION 117
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 112
ANXIETY 89
PRODUCT DOSE OMISSION ISSUE 77
NAUSEA 71
BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASED 67
VOMITING 66
OFF LABEL USE 64
DIZZINESS 63
SURGERY 63
FALL 53
SEIZURE 52
PANIC ATTACK 49
MENTAL DISORDER 44

Nearby — Related Medications

Compare esketamine vs acamprosate →

What the FAERS Data Reveals About esketamine Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 15,846 voluntary reports linked to esketamine and its brand equivalents (Spravato), spanning 2015 through 2025. Of those, 641 (4.0%) listed death as an outcome and 2,714 (17.1%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Depression.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 66% were female and 34% male; age distribution skews toward 18-44, with 4,243 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is dissociation with 3,351 submissions, followed by sedation and suicidal ideation.

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.