nortriptyline Side Effects
Also known as: Pamelor
Analysis of 5,503 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.
Total Reports
5,503
Death-Related
674
12.2% of reports
Hospitalizations
1,439
26.1% 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 674 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| COMPLETED SUICIDE | 203 |
| OVERDOSE | 131 |
| PAIN | 110 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 110 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 109 |
| HYPERTENSION | 105 |
| PYREXIA | 104 |
| THROMBOCYTOPENIA | 104 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 103 |
| FATIGUE | 103 |
| PRODUCT USE ISSUE | 102 |
| CONSTIPATION | 101 |
| PSORIASIS | 101 |
| DEATH | 100 |
| DRUG INTOLERANCE | 99 |
| UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION | 99 |
| CONTRAINDICATED PRODUCT ADMINISTERED | 98 |
| HEADACHE | 98 |
| HYPERHIDROSIS | 98 |
| TEMPERATURE REGULATION DISORDER | 98 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 1,439 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| SOMNOLENCE | 226 |
| GASTROOESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE | 214 |
| COMA | 199 |
| PNEUMONIA ASPIRATION | 195 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 176 |
| PAIN | 175 |
| NAUSEA | 170 |
| FATIGUE | 148 |
| DIARRHOEA | 146 |
| FALL | 133 |
| PAIN IN EXTREMITY | 129 |
| HEADACHE | 117 |
| ARTHRALGIA | 102 |
| SLEEP DISORDER | 99 |
| OSTEOARTHRITIS | 96 |
| DEPRESSION | 92 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 91 |
| OSTEOPENIA | 90 |
| DYSPNOEA | 89 |
| DIZZINESS | 88 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About nortriptyline Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 5,503 voluntary reports linked to nortriptyline and its brand equivalents (Pamelor), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 674 (12.2%) listed death as an outcome and 1,439 (26.1%) 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, 75% were female and 24% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 1,575 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 777 submissions, followed by off label use and pain.
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.