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propafenone Side Effects

Also known as: Rythmol

Analysis of 4,113 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

4,113

Death-Related

483

11.7% of reports

Hospitalizations

1,763

42.9% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
347
DRUG INEFFECTIVE
330
DRUG INTERACTION
320
DIZZINESS
262
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS
231
DYSPNOEA
226
NAUSEA
206
FATIGUE
201
OFF LABEL USE
182
ASTHENIA
181
BRADYCARDIA
168
HYPOTENSION
164
DIARRHOEA
143
FALL
142
ARRHYTHMIA
137
CARDIAC ARREST
127
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM QRS COMPLEX PROLONGED
125
HEADACHE
123
COMPLETED SUICIDE
114
VOMITING
110

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 2,197 (58%)
Male 1,568 (41%)
Unknown 33

Age Distribution

0-17 104 (3%)
18-44 214 (7%)
45-64 764 (25%)
65-74 1,001 (32%)
75+ 1,019 (33%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 483 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
COMPLETED SUICIDE 114
DEATH 87
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 61
DRUG INTERACTION 46
CARDIAC ARREST 40
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 32
SUBARACHNOID HAEMORRHAGE 29
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM QRS COMPLEX PROLONGED 27
LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS 26
HYPOTENSION 25
NAUSEA 24
GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE 23
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 21
SEIZURE 20
ASTHENIA 19
OFF LABEL USE 19
COMA 18
DIARRHOEA 18
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 17
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION 16

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 1,763 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
ATRIAL FIBRILLATION 194
DRUG INTERACTION 158
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 151
DYSPNOEA 124
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 116
NAUSEA 109
BRADYCARDIA 108
DIZZINESS 107
ASTHENIA 105
HYPOTENSION 102
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY 87
FATIGUE 84
ELECTROCARDIOGRAM QRS COMPLEX PROLONGED 82
OFF LABEL USE 82
GASTROINTESTINAL HAEMORRHAGE 78
PNEUMONIA 69
VOMITING 69
CARDIAC ARREST 67
SYNCOPE 67
FALL 64

Nearby — Related Medications

Compare propafenone vs adenosine →

What the FAERS Data Reveals About propafenone Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 4,113 voluntary reports linked to propafenone and its brand equivalents (Rythmol), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 483 (11.7%) listed death as an outcome and 1,763 (42.9%) 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, 58% were female and 41% male; age distribution skews toward 75+, with 1,019 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is atrial fibrillation with 347 submissions, followed by drug ineffective and drug interaction.

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.