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gemfibrozil Side Effects

Also known as: Lopid

Analysis of 14,954 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

14,954

Death-Related

1,208

8.1% of reports

Hospitalizations

5,298

35.4% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

NAUSEA
883
FATIGUE
825
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
766
DIARRHOEA
726
PAIN
693
DIZZINESS
617
RHABDOMYOLYSIS
604
DYSPNOEA
599
ASTHENIA
598
HEADACHE
561
RENAL FAILURE
560
VOMITING
509
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
484
DRUG INTERACTION
464
PAIN IN EXTREMITY
457
FALL
452
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY
441
DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY
436
ARTHRALGIA
434
WEIGHT DECREASED
428

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 6,220 (44%)
Male 8,019 (56%)
Unknown 24

Age Distribution

0-17 74 (1%)
18-44 1,024 (10%)
45-64 4,405 (44%)
65-74 2,621 (26%)
75+ 1,776 (18%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 1,208 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 369
COMPLETED SUICIDE 112
RENAL FAILURE 103
PNEUMONIA 99
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 89
CARDIAC ARREST 79
SEPSIS 75
ASTHENIA 66
DYSPNOEA 65
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 63
NAUSEA 63
VOMITING 59
PAIN 58
ANXIETY 57
CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE 57
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE 56
DRUG INTERACTION 54
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 53
INJURY 51
RHABDOMYOLYSIS 50

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 5,298 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
RHABDOMYOLYSIS 466
NAUSEA 381
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 327
ASTHENIA 321
RENAL FAILURE ACUTE 317
DYSPNOEA 309
PNEUMONIA 299
DIARRHOEA 281
VOMITING 279
FALL 276
FATIGUE 276
RENAL FAILURE 276
CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE 271
PAIN 263
DIZZINESS 254
DRUG INTERACTION 245
CHEST PAIN 243
ANAEMIA 222
WEIGHT DECREASED 204
CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT 203

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About gemfibrozil Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 14,954 voluntary reports linked to gemfibrozil and its brand equivalents (Lopid), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 1,208 (8.1%) listed death as an outcome and 5,298 (35.4%) 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 4,405 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is nausea with 883 submissions, followed by fatigue and drug ineffective.

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.