verapamil Side Effects
Also known as: Calan, Verelan
Analysis of 4,224 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.
Total Reports
4,224
Death-Related
927
21.9% of reports
Hospitalizations
1,908
45.2% 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 927 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| COMPLETED SUICIDE | 224 |
| CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST | 178 |
| NAUSEA | 168 |
| COMA | 163 |
| SEPSIS | 159 |
| TACHYCARDIA | 158 |
| HAEMORRHAGIC STROKE | 157 |
| DYSPNOEA | 153 |
| DIARRHOEA | 150 |
| ALTERED STATE OF CONSCIOUSNESS | 148 |
| FALL | 147 |
| ASCITES | 144 |
| DIZZINESS | 143 |
| PRURITUS | 142 |
| AMAUROSIS FUGAX | 141 |
| CHILLS | 141 |
| OCULAR DISCOMFORT | 141 |
| BLINDNESS | 140 |
| INSOMNIA | 140 |
| FATIGUE | 139 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 1,908 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| HYPOTENSION | 216 |
| BRADYCARDIA | 158 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 146 |
| DRUG INTERACTION | 133 |
| DYSPNOEA | 121 |
| OVERDOSE | 104 |
| NAUSEA | 101 |
| ASTHENIA | 86 |
| ATRIAL FIBRILLATION | 85 |
| CARDIOGENIC SHOCK | 82 |
| INTENTIONAL OVERDOSE | 82 |
| ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 78 |
| DIZZINESS | 78 |
| VOMITING | 76 |
| OFF LABEL USE | 72 |
| FALL | 70 |
| RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 67 |
| FATIGUE | 66 |
| MALAISE | 66 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 65 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About verapamil Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 4,224 voluntary reports linked to verapamil and its brand equivalents (Calan, Verelan), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 927 (21.9%) listed death as an outcome and 1,908 (45.2%) 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, 60% were female and 40% male; age distribution skews toward 75+, with 1,003 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is dyspnoea with 356 submissions, followed by nausea 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.