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Drug side effects

perampanel Side Effects

The reactions most often reported to the FDA for perampanel (also sold as Fycompa), with demographics, serious outcomes, and reporting trends.

Data updated 2026-05-15

7,188
FAERS reports

Data from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS), 2012 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 perampanel come from 7,188 reports to the FDA, broken down here by frequency, patient demographics, and serious outcomes.

This page analyzes 7,188 reports to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) for perampanel (Fycompa): 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

7,188

Reports Mentioning Death

453

6.3% of reports — not proof the medicine caused the death

Hospitalizations

2,745

38.2% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

SEIZURE
1,098
SOMNOLENCE
491
AGGRESSION
485
DIZZINESS
384
EPILEPSY
332
STATUS EPILEPTICUS
324
DRUG INTERACTION
323
MULTIPLE-DRUG RESISTANCE
313
FATIGUE
292
IRRITABILITY
239
CONDITION AGGRAVATED
226
FALL
220
SUICIDE ATTEMPT
204
GAIT DISTURBANCE
199
SUICIDAL IDEATION
195
HEADACHE
167
GENERALISED TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURE
163

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 3,193 (54%)
Male 2,752 (46%)
Unknown 6

Age Distribution

0-17 1,295 (27%)
18-44 2,072 (43%)
45-64 904 (19%)
65-74 309 (6%)
75+ 202 (4%)

Reporting Trend by Year

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 453 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 95
SEIZURE 39
MULTIPLE-DRUG RESISTANCE 36
SUDDEN UNEXPLAINED DEATH IN EPILEPSY 32
PNEUMONIA 29
CARDIAC ARREST 26
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 26
PNEUMONIA ASPIRATION 24
STATUS EPILEPTICUS 24
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 23
COMPLETED SUICIDE 22
SEPTIC SHOCK 19
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 19
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 17
SEPSIS 16
AGGRESSION 14
EPILEPSY 14

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 2,745 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
SEIZURE 376
SOMNOLENCE 226
AGGRESSION 188
STATUS EPILEPTICUS 186
EPILEPSY 158
SUICIDE ATTEMPT 151
INTENTIONAL OVERDOSE 145
DRUG INTERACTION 144
DIZZINESS 138
FALL 126
FATIGUE 112
PNEUMONIA 104
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 99
HOSPITALISATION 98
PYREXIA 98
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 93
PNEUMONIA ASPIRATION 84
VOMITING 81

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About perampanel Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 7,188 voluntary reports linked to perampanel and its brand equivalents (Fycompa), spanning 2012 through 2025. Of those, 453 (6.3%) listed death as an outcome and 2,745 (38.2%) 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, 54% were female and 46% male; age distribution skews toward 18-44, with 2,072 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is seizure with 1,098 submissions, followed by somnolence and aggression.

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 perampanel's 7,188.