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protriptyline Side Effects

Also known as: Vivactil

Analysis of 96 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2012 to 2025.

Total Reports

96

Hospitalizations

24

25.0% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

FALL
12
INTENTIONAL PRODUCT USE ISSUE
10
PRODUCT ADMINISTRATION INTERRUPTED
8
SLEEP APNOEA SYNDROME
8
ANXIETY
7
WRONG TECHNIQUE IN PRODUCT USAGE PROCESS
7
DEPRESSION
6
DIZZINESS
6
BLOOD PRESSURE INCREASED
5
COVID-19
5
HYPERTENSION
5
ILLNESS
5
WEIGHT INCREASED
5
ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT
4
DYSPNOEA
4
FATIGUE
4
GAIT DISTURBANCE
4
HEADACHE
4
HOSPITALISATION
4
LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS
4

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 61 (68%)
Male 29 (32%)

Age Distribution

0-17 1 (2%)
18-44 14 (31%)
45-64 12 (27%)
65-74 12 (27%)
75+ 6 (13%)

Reporting Trend by Year

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

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 24 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
FALL 5
HOSPITALISATION 4
ILLNESS 3
PRODUCT ADMINISTRATION INTERRUPTED 3
ABDOMINAL DISCOMFORT 2
ANXIETY 2
CONDITION AGGRAVATED 2
DIZZINESS 2
DYSPNOEA 2
HEAD INJURY 2
HYPERTENSION 2
HYPOGLYCAEMIA 2
INAPPROPRIATE SCHEDULE OF PRODUCT ADMINISTRATION 2
LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS 2
MUSCLE SPASMS 2
OSTEOARTHRITIS 2
PAIN 2
SEIZURE 2
VOMITING 2
WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME 2

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About protriptyline Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 96 voluntary reports linked to protriptyline and its brand equivalents (Vivactil), spanning 2012 through 2025. No reports in this dataset listed death as an outcome and 24 (25.0%) 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, 68% were female and 32% male; age distribution skews toward 18-44, with 14 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is fall with 12 submissions, followed by intentional product use issue and product administration interrupted.

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.