PlainMeds provides educational information only. This is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.

isosorbide dinitrate Side Effects

Also known as: Isordil

Analysis of 19,058 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 1996 to 2025.

Total Reports

19,058

Death-Related

2,531

13.3% of reports

Hospitalizations

8,172

42.9% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

DYSPNOEA
1,608
NAUSEA
1,317
FATIGUE
1,302
DIZZINESS
1,265
DIARRHOEA
1,248
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
1,179
CHEST PAIN
1,118
PAIN
1,023
HEADACHE
970
VOMITING
961
MALAISE
866
OFF LABEL USE
803
ASTHENIA
799
DEATH
787
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
776
ARTHRALGIA
765
PRURITUS
760
RENAL FAILURE
760
PYREXIA
707
ANXIETY
702

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 8,456 (47%)
Male 9,439 (53%)
Unknown 20

Age Distribution

0-17 62 (0%)
18-44 393 (3%)
45-64 3,373 (26%)
65-74 3,604 (28%)
75+ 5,434 (42%)

Reporting Trend by Year

1996 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 2,531 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 784
RENAL FAILURE 224
CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE 205
PNEUMONIA 198
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 173
DYSPNOEA 167
CARDIAC ARREST 138
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 129
CARDIAC FAILURE 127
CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE 120
ASTHENIA 116
NAUSEA 112
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 109
HYPOTENSION 104
PAIN 101
DIARRHOEA 99
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 97
ANAEMIA 96
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION 95
COMPLETED SUICIDE 95

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 8,172 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
DYSPNOEA 804
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION 713
CHEST PAIN 619
CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE 563
NAUSEA 557
DIZZINESS 553
PNEUMONIA 553
DIARRHOEA 486
FATIGUE 481
VOMITING 470
ASTHENIA 449
FALL 446
RENAL FAILURE 414
HYPOTENSION 412
PAIN 394
PYREXIA 364
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 363
MALAISE 363
DEHYDRATION 347
ANAEMIA 346

Nearby — Related Medications

Compare isosorbide dinitrate vs adenosine →

What the FAERS Data Reveals About isosorbide dinitrate Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 19,058 voluntary reports linked to isosorbide dinitrate and its brand equivalents (Isordil), spanning 1996 through 2025. Of those, 2,531 (13.3%) listed death as an outcome and 8,172 (42.9%) 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, 47% were female and 53% male; age distribution skews toward 75+, with 5,434 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is dyspnoea with 1,608 submissions, followed by nausea and fatigue.

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.