rivastigmine Side Effects
Also known as: Exelon
Analysis of 17,976 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2000 to 2025.
Total Reports
17,976
Death-Related
4,544
25.3% of reports
Hospitalizations
6,537
36.4% 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 4,544 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| DEATH | 2,177 |
| PNEUMONIA | 348 |
| FALL | 238 |
| GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION | 183 |
| PARKINSON^S DISEASE | 178 |
| CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT | 165 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 164 |
| HALLUCINATION | 141 |
| DEMENTIA | 136 |
| DYSPHAGIA | 134 |
| CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST | 127 |
| URINARY TRACT INFECTION | 127 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 116 |
| ASTHENIA | 114 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 114 |
| MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 113 |
| CONFUSIONAL STATE | 110 |
| RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 109 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 105 |
| SEPSIS | 103 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 6,537 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| FALL | 1,004 |
| CONFUSIONAL STATE | 554 |
| PNEUMONIA | 475 |
| HALLUCINATION | 457 |
| URINARY TRACT INFECTION | 435 |
| VOMITING | 426 |
| NAUSEA | 339 |
| GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION | 324 |
| ASTHENIA | 320 |
| DIARRHOEA | 294 |
| MALAISE | 293 |
| DEHYDRATION | 283 |
| GAIT DISTURBANCE | 282 |
| DIZZINESS | 274 |
| WEIGHT DECREASED | 270 |
| DEATH | 269 |
| FATIGUE | 264 |
| AGITATION | 263 |
| AGGRESSION | 259 |
| SOMNOLENCE | 258 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About rivastigmine Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 17,976 voluntary reports linked to rivastigmine and its brand equivalents (Exelon), spanning 2000 through 2025. Of those, 4,544 (25.3%) listed death as an outcome and 6,537 (36.4%) 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, 51% were female and 49% male; age distribution skews toward 75+, with 7,025 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is death with 2,177 submissions, followed by fall and hallucination.
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.