Prescription medication · Endogenous Nucleoside (Antiarrhythmic)
adenosine
Also sold as Adenocard. Adenosine is used to treat a very fast heart rate in the upper chambers of your heart.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 1,547
- FDA reportsRarely reported
- 2
- InteractionsFew interactions
- 1
- Recall record
What the data shows
adenosine (Adenocard) is a prescription Endogenous Nucleoside (Antiarrhythmic), among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (1,547 FDA reports), with 2 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
adenosine (Adenocard) is a prescription Endogenous Nucleoside (Antiarrhythmic). Adenosine is used to treat a very fast heart rate in the upper chambers of your heart.
Adenosine (Adenocard) is a medicine used to treat certain types of irregular heartbeats. It belongs to a class of drugs called antiarrhythmics.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
What it does
Adenosine is used to treat a very fast heart rate in the upper chambers of your heart.
Common side effects
No common side effects listed.
Key warnings
Since this medication is administered by a healthcare provider in a monitored setting, there are no specific at-home warnings.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from adenosine's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Adenosine works by slowing down the electrical signals in your heart. This helps to interrupt the fast heart rhythm and restore a normal heartbeat. It does this by acting on specific receptors in the heart tissue.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 1,547 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for adenosine, by number of reports
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
Supraventricular Tachycardia
94 reports
- Hypotension
Hypotension
86 reports
- Cardiac Arrest
Cardiac Arrest
78 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
74 reports
- Pain
Pain
67 reports
- Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial Fibrillation
64 reports
- Bradycardia
Bradycardia
63 reports
- Tachycardia
Tachycardia
61 reports
- Anxiety
Anxiety
55 reports
- Drug Interaction
Drug Interaction
53 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for adenosine each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where adenosine sits
adenosine has more FDA adverse-event reports than 10% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is adenosine; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 1,547 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
1,547
Reports Mentioning Death
138
8.9% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
733
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA | 94 |
| 4 | HYPOTENSION | 86 |
| 5 | CARDIAC ARREST | 78 |
| 6 | DYSPNOEA | 74 |
| 7 | PAIN | 67 |
| 8 | ATRIAL FIBRILLATION | 64 |
| 9 | BRADYCARDIA | 63 |
| 10 | TACHYCARDIA | 61 |
| 11 | ANXIETY | 55 |
| 12 | DRUG INTERACTION | 53 |
| 13 | NAUSEA | 52 |
| 14 | VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA | 49 |
| 15 | DIZZINESS | 48 |
| 16 | PNEUMONIA | 43 |
| 17 | BRONCHOSPASM | 41 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Since this medication is administered by a healthcare provider in a monitored setting, there are no specific at-home warnings.
Known Drug Interactions
Adenosinergic agents (e.g., adenosine, regadenoson) Dipyridamole has been reported to increase the plasma levels and cardiovascular effects of adenosine. Adjustment of adenosine dosage may be necessary. Dipyridamole also increases the cardiovascular effects of regadenoson, an adenosine A 2A -receptor agonist.
Mechanism: Dipyridamole causes adenosine levels to build up in the blood, which can make the effects on your heart and blood vessels stronger.
Adenosine Theophylline blocks adenosine receptors. Higher doses of adenosine may be required to achieve desired effect. 25% increase Diazepam Benzodiazepines increase CNS concentrations of adenosine, a potent CNS depressant, while theophylline blocks adenosine receptors.
Mechanism: Theophylline blocks the specific spots in your body where adenosine works, making the adenosine less effective.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
What is adenosine used for?
How is adenosine given?
Will adenosine cure my heart condition?
Are there any long-term side effects?
Can I take adenosine at home?
What should I tell my doctor before receiving adenosine?
Can I eat or drink before receiving adenosine?
How will I feel after receiving adenosine?
Is adenosine the same as Adenocard?
How quickly does adenosine work?
Does adenosine interact with other medications?
What drug class is adenosine?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for adenosine?
Has adenosine been recalled?
Active Recalls
Lack of Assurance of Sterility: FDA inspection findings resulted in concerns regarding quality control processes
Lowlite Investments, Inc. D/B/A Olympia Pharmacy
Related Medications in Endogenous Nucleoside (Antiarrhythmic)
Other drugs grouped near adenosine - same-class peers and common alternatives.
amiodarone
Cordarone, Pacerone
Amiodarone (Pacerone) is a medicine used to treat life-threatening, irregular heartbeats.
Compare with adenosine →
atropine
AtroPen
Atropine is a medicine that can temporarily block severe effects on your body.
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bumetanide
Bumex
Bumetanide is a water pill (diuretic).
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carvedilol
Coreg
Carvedilol is a medicine that lowers blood pressure and helps your heart work better.
Compare with adenosine →
digoxin
Lanoxin
Digoxin (Lanoxin) is a medicine that helps your heart pump better.
Compare with adenosine →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for adenosine: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 1,547.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 8.92%.
- simvastatin Δ 0.00 pts · 245,754 reports · HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) 8.92%death share
- clomipramine Δ 0.01 pts · 4,403 reports · Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA) 8.93%death share
- glyburide Δ 0.04 pts · 23,902 reports · Sulfonylurea 8.88%death share
- risedronate Δ 0.04 pts · 30,089 reports · Bisphosphonate 8.96%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
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Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for adenosine
The FDA label for adenosine (sold under brand names such as Adenocard) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Endogenous Nucleoside (Antiarrhythmic) class. Adenosine is used to treat a very fast heart rate in the upper chambers of your heart. Labeling covers dosing, contraindications, and monitoring requirements derived from clinical trials.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 1,547 voluntary reports. The database also lists 2 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. Acquisition-cost data is surveyed weekly by CMS and updated as manufacturers report changes.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 1 recall record on file), and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: July 11, 2023
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages