metoprolol Side Effects
Also known as: Lopressor, Toprol-XL
Analysis of 246,252 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2001 to 2025.
Total Reports
246,252
Death-Related
27,931
11.3% of reports
Hospitalizations
96,962
39.4% of reports
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Most Reported Adverse Reactions
Who Reports Side Effects
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Reporting Trend by Year
Reactions in Death Reports
Top reactions reported in 27,931 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DEATH | 9,701 |
| COMPLETED SUICIDE | 3,471 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 1,693 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 1,363 |
| PNEUMONIA | 1,354 |
| RENAL FAILURE | 1,289 |
| DYSPNOEA | 1,191 |
| ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 1,081 |
| HYPOTENSION | 1,043 |
| SEPSIS | 947 |
| RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 908 |
| FALL | 881 |
| MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 853 |
| ASTHENIA | 839 |
| FATIGUE | 810 |
| NAUSEA | 781 |
| CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE | 760 |
| DIARRHOEA | 754 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 750 |
| CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST | 744 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 96,962 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DYSPNOEA | 8,069 |
| FALL | 6,075 |
| PNEUMONIA | 5,839 |
| FATIGUE | 5,639 |
| NAUSEA | 5,487 |
| DIARRHOEA | 5,371 |
| DIZZINESS | 5,052 |
| ASTHENIA | 4,979 |
| HYPOTENSION | 4,867 |
| ATRIAL FIBRILLATION | 4,660 |
| MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 4,363 |
| VOMITING | 3,993 |
| ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 3,786 |
| PAIN | 3,746 |
| ANAEMIA | 3,740 |
| HYPERTENSION | 3,257 |
| DEHYDRATION | 3,224 |
| CHEST PAIN | 3,191 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 3,178 |
| PYREXIA | 3,136 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About metoprolol Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 246,252 voluntary reports linked to metoprolol and its brand equivalents (Lopressor, Toprol-XL), spanning 2001 through 2025. Of those, 27,931 (11.3%) listed death as an outcome and 96,962 (39.4%) 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, 53% were female and 47% male; age distribution skews toward 75+, with 54,710 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is fatigue with 15,966 submissions, followed by dyspnoea and diarrhoea.
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.