MID-VOLUME · HOSP-HEAVY
phenytoin Side Effects
phenytoin (also sold as Dilantin) sits MID-VOLUME #234 of 524 by FAERS report count. Lead signal: HOSP-HEAVY - 41.0% mention hospitalization (8,381 reports). Demographics and serious-outcome tables follow.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 20,453
- FAERS reports
FDA Adverse Event Reporting System extract for phenytoin. Stamp set WATCHLIST · DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY. How figures are compiled.
phenytoin: 41.0% mention hospitalization (8,381 reports). Death stamp DEATH-HEAVY; volume band MID-VOLUME #234 of 524 by FAERS report count.
Mid-book FAERS page for phenytoin (Dilantin) (20,453 reports). Signature HOSP-HEAVY. Dominant age band on file: 18-44. Educational reference only.
Counts from the openFDA FAERS extract (2004–2025). Stamps WATCHLIST · DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY · SEX-BALANCED.
DRUG INTERACTION leads 1,547 of 20,453 reports
Who reports · age peak 18-44 (SEX-BALANCED)
Sex coding · SEX-BALANCED
Age peak 18-44 (4,572 reports)
FAERS filings rising toward 2025
Reactions in Death Reports
Death-mentioned subset is HEAVY here (2,949 reports, 14.4%). Top co-reported reactions in that subset - voluntary, not causal.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DEATH | 364 |
| COMPLETED SUICIDE | 358 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 237 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 236 |
| SEPSIS | 202 |
| STATUS EPILEPTICUS | 137 |
| DRUG INTERACTION | 130 |
| TOXIC EPIDERMAL NECROLYSIS | 130 |
| PNEUMONIA | 126 |
| HYPOTENSION | 120 |
| STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME | 111 |
| RENAL FAILURE | 103 |
| RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 101 |
| MULTIPLE ORGAN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME | 99 |
| CONVULSION | 96 |
| BRAIN OEDEMA | 89 |
| THROMBOCYTOPENIA | 89 |
| PYREXIA | 88 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Hospitalization is HEAVY (8,381, 41.0% of the book). Top reactions in those rows:
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DRUG INTERACTION | 848 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 813 |
| SEIZURE | 532 |
| CONVULSION | 468 |
| PYREXIA | 467 |
| STATUS EPILEPTICUS | 446 |
| STEVENS-JOHNSON SYNDROME | 430 |
| FALL | 413 |
| DRUG REACTION WITH EOSINOPHILIA AND SYSTEMIC SYMPTOMS | 390 |
| CONFUSIONAL STATE | 366 |
| VOMITING | 327 |
| ATAXIA | 326 |
| HYPOTENSION | 308 |
| DIZZINESS | 298 |
| NAUSEA | 293 |
| SOMNOLENCE | 279 |
| NYSTAGMUS | 274 |
| PNEUMONIA | 265 |
How to read phenytoin FAERS figures (WATCHLIST · DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY)
FAERS holds 20,453 voluntary reports linked to phenytoin (Dilantin), 2004-2025. Death is listed on 2,949 (14.4%). Hospitalization appears on 8,381 (41.0%). Top co-reported indication: Product Used For Unknown Indication.
Mid-volume extract - treat DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY as signal-detection rates next to 41.0% mention hospitalization (8,381 reports).
Read with phenytoin
Peers ranked by ABS(total_reports), then an ABS(death_share) pole; guide hop follows DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY stamps.
ABS(total_reports) peer at 20,452 FAERS cases (Δ 1 lighter vs phenytoin); DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY · SEX-BALANCED vs this page's WATCHLIST · DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY · SEX-BALANCED.
ABS(total_reports) peer at 20,544 FAERS cases (Δ 91 heavier vs phenytoin); DEATH-MARKED · HOSP-MID · SEX-BALANCED vs this page's WATCHLIST · DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY · SEX-BALANCED.
ABS(total_reports) peer at 20,636 FAERS cases (Δ 183 heavier vs phenytoin); DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY · SEX-BALANCED vs this page's WATCHLIST · DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY · SEX-BALANCED.
ABS(total_reports) peer at 20,677 FAERS cases (Δ 224 heavier vs phenytoin); DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY · MALE-LED vs this page's WATCHLIST · DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY · SEX-BALANCED.
ABS(death_share) pole at 62.1% death-mentioned reports (Δ 47.7 pp vs phenytoin's DEATH-HEAVY): CASELOAD · HOSP-MID.
phenytoin stamps DEATH-HEAVY · HOSP-HEAVY; FAERS outcome shares are signal-detection rates, not incidence. Read them next to caseload WATCHLIST and the label guide.