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trazodone Side Effects

Also known as: Desyrel

Analysis of 15,113 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

15,113

Death-Related

1,538

10.2% of reports

Hospitalizations

5,063

33.5% of reports

Top Indication

Product Used For Unknown Indication

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

DRUG INEFFECTIVE
1,181
FATIGUE
1,129
NAUSEA
1,097
HEADACHE
909
PAIN
808
DIARRHOEA
793
OFF LABEL USE
711
VOMITING
676
INSOMNIA
673
DEPRESSION
656
DYSPNOEA
623
DIZZINESS
599
FALL
591
ASTHENIA
519
ANXIETY
512
ARTHRALGIA
472
DEATH
454
MALAISE
425
BACK PAIN
422
CONSTIPATION
413

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 9,386 (67%)
Male 4,716 (33%)
Unknown 9

Age Distribution

0-17 185 (2%)
18-44 1,913 (20%)
45-64 3,900 (41%)
65-74 1,719 (18%)
75+ 1,889 (20%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 1,538 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 452
COMPLETED SUICIDE 269
TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS 155
CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST 118
DRUG ABUSE 97
CARDIAC ARREST 74
VOMITING 65
OFF LABEL USE 54
ASPHYXIA 53
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS CORONARY ARTERY 52
OVERDOSE 52
PNEUMONIA 51
NAUSEA 49
DIARRHOEA 44
DECREASED APPETITE 42
RESPIRATORY ARREST 41
RESPIRATORY FAILURE 37
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 36
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 36
PAIN 36

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 5,063 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
NAUSEA 408
FATIGUE 407
DRUG INEFFECTIVE 373
PNEUMONIA 341
HEADACHE 336
DIARRHOEA 334
FALL 322
DYSPNOEA 309
PAIN 284
VOMITING 272
ASTHENIA 262
OFF LABEL USE 260
DEPRESSION 244
PYREXIA 244
HYPERTENSION 215
SUICIDE ATTEMPT 204
INSOMNIA 198
CONSTIPATION 190
DIZZINESS 190
ANXIETY 188

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About trazodone Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 15,113 voluntary reports linked to trazodone and its brand equivalents (Desyrel), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 1,538 (10.2%) listed death as an outcome and 5,063 (33.5%) 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, 67% were female and 33% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 3,900 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 1,181 submissions, followed by fatigue and nausea.

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.