ziprasidone Side Effects
Also known as: Geodon
Analysis of 17,328 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.
Total Reports
17,328
Death-Related
1,171
6.8% of reports
Hospitalizations
4,189
24.2% of reports
Top Indication
Bipolar Disorder
Most Reported Adverse Reactions
Who Reports Side Effects
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Reporting Trend by Year
Reactions in Death Reports
Top reactions reported in 1,171 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| COMPLETED SUICIDE | 379 |
| DEATH | 247 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 152 |
| CARDIAC ARREST | 101 |
| CARDIO-RESPIRATORY ARREST | 97 |
| RESPIRATORY ARREST | 56 |
| MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 34 |
| SUDDEN DEATH | 34 |
| ARRHYTHMIA | 33 |
| HYPOTENSION | 32 |
| OVERDOSE | 30 |
| NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME | 28 |
| ADVERSE DRUG REACTION | 27 |
| COMA | 27 |
| BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 26 |
| CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 26 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 26 |
| RESPIRATORY FAILURE | 26 |
| PNEUMONIA ASPIRATION | 25 |
| RENAL FAILURE | 25 |
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Top reactions in 4,189 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.
| Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|
| WEIGHT INCREASED | 367 |
| DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 354 |
| DIABETES MELLITUS | 321 |
| DEPRESSION | 299 |
| SUICIDE ATTEMPT | 277 |
| ANXIETY | 271 |
| TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS | 254 |
| SUICIDAL IDEATION | 247 |
| NEUROLEPTIC MALIGNANT SYNDROME | 244 |
| HYPERTENSION | 226 |
| DIZZINESS | 200 |
| FATIGUE | 200 |
| INSOMNIA | 197 |
| NAUSEA | 197 |
| PSYCHOTIC DISORDER | 191 |
| DYSPNOEA | 183 |
| OBESITY | 179 |
| TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 178 |
| HEADACHE | 174 |
| OVERDOSE | 173 |
Nearby — Related Medications
What the FAERS Data Reveals About ziprasidone Side Effects
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 17,328 voluntary reports linked to ziprasidone and its brand equivalents (Geodon), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 1,171 (6.8%) listed death as an outcome and 4,189 (24.2%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Bipolar Disorder.
Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 61% were female and 38% male; age distribution skews toward 18-44, with 4,204 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is drug ineffective with 1,350 submissions, followed by weight increased and diabetes mellitus.
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.