Drug side effects
norepinephrine Side Effects
The reactions most often reported to the FDA for norepinephrine (also sold as Levophed), with demographics, serious outcomes, and reporting trends.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 10,232
- FAERS reports
Data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), 2004 to 2025. A FAERS report records a temporal association, not proof of cause. See our methodology for how figures are compiled and de-duplicated.
The most commonly reported side effects of norepinephrine come from 10,232 reports to the FDA, broken down here by frequency, patient demographics, and serious outcomes.
This page analyzes 10,232 reports to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) for norepinephrine (Levophed): the reactions reported most often, who reported them, serious outcomes such as hospitalization, and year-over-year trends. A FAERS report does not prove the drug caused the effect, and report volume tracks how widely a drug is used, not how likely an effect is for any one person. Educational information, not medical advice.
Total Reports
10,232
Reports Mentioning Death
3,288
32.1% of reports — not proof the medicine caused the death
Hospitalizations
5,663
55.3% 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 3,288 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME | 565 |
| SEPSIS | 428 |
| HYPOTENSION | 344 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 312 |
| DEATH | 312 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 305 |
| ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 300 |
| SEPTIC SHOCK | 274 |
| CARDIOGENIC SHOCK | 269 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 264 |
| GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION | 244 |
| VOMITING | 244 |
| ABDOMINAL PAIN | 240 |
| ASCITES | 230 |
| NAUSEA | 229 |
| ABDOMINAL DISTENSION | 226 |
| HYPONATRAEMIA | 214 |
| APPENDICITIS | 210 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 5,663 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| HYPOTENSION | 714 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 519 |
| ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 489 |
| MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME | 388 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 357 |
| CARDIOGENIC SHOCK | 339 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 327 |
| INTENTIONAL OVERDOSE | 318 |
| SEPSIS | 304 |
| SEPTIC SHOCK | 284 |
| DRUG INTERACTION | 263 |
| LACTIC ACIDOSIS | 260 |
| SHOCK | 255 |
| OVERDOSE | 249 |
| PNEUMONIA | 244 |
| RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 239 |
| METABOLIC ACIDOSIS | 236 |
| BRADYCARDIA | 210 |
Nearby, Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About norepinephrine Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 10,232 voluntary reports linked to norepinephrine and its brand equivalents (Levophed), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 3,288 (32.1%) listed death as an outcome and 5,663 (55.3%) 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, 45% were female and 55% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 2,959 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is hypotension with 1,011 submissions, followed by acute kidney injury and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.
How to read these numbers
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.
Drugs With a Similar FAERS Report Volume
Other medications with a total FDA adverse-event report count closest to norepinephrine's 10,232.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.