Prescription medication · Glucagon (Hypoglycemia Rescue)
glucagon
Also sold as Baqsimi, GlucaGen. Glucagon is used to treat very low blood sugar in adults and children who have diabetes.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 3,944
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 14
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- 24% less
- Generic vs brandReal savings
- $277.03
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
glucagon (Baqsimi) is a prescription Glucagon (Hypoglycemia Rescue), among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (3,944 FDA reports), with a lower-cost generic available (24% less than brand).
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.
glucagon (Baqsimi) is a prescription Glucagon (Hypoglycemia Rescue). Glucagon is used to treat very low blood sugar in adults and children who have diabetes.
Glucagon is a medicine that helps raise your blood sugar if it gets too low. It can also be used to temporarily slow down your digestive system for certain medical tests.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$277.03/unit
Generic Price
$209.53/unit
Generic Savings
24%
Generic Available
Yes (4 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
NADAC price trail: GLUCAGON 1 MG EMERGENCY KIT
Same CMS presentation as the headline generic unit price above (3 effective dates). Adjacent % compares consecutive NADAC releases for this description only, not a patient out-of-pocket quote. Latest step: -12.1% vs prior release.
| Effective | NADAC / unit | vs prior | NDCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 19, 2023 | $269.69/EA | - | 1 |
| November 20, 2024 | $238.34/EA | -11.6% | 1 |
| December 18, 2024 | $209.53/EA | -12.1% | 1 |
What it does
Glucagon is used to treat very low blood sugar in adults and children who have diabetes.
Common side effects
Nausea, Vomiting, Headache
Key warnings
You should not take this medicine if you have a tumor in your adrenal gland called pheochromocytoma.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from glucagon's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Glucagon works by telling your liver to release stored sugar into your blood. This raises your blood sugar level quickly. It also relaxes the muscles in your stomach and intestines.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 3,944 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for glucagon, by number of reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
354 reports
- Acute Kidney Injury
Acute Kidney Injury
313 reports
- Hypotension
Hypotension
286 reports
- Hypoglycaemia
Hypoglycaemia
268 reports
- Condition Aggravated
Condition Aggravated
244 reports
- Toxicity To Various Agents
Toxicity To Various Agents
230 reports
- Haemoptysis
Haemoptysis
214 reports
- Anxiety
Anxiety
213 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
212 reports
- Death
Death
209 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 glucagon 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 glucagon sits
glucagon has more FDA adverse-event reports than 22% 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 glucagon; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 3,944 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
3,944
Reports Mentioning Death
654
16.6% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
1,898
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | DYSPNOEA | 354 |
| 3 | ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY | 313 |
| 4 | HYPOTENSION | 286 |
| 5 | HYPOGLYCAEMIA | 268 |
| 6 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 244 |
| 7 | TOXICITY TO VARIOUS AGENTS | 230 |
| 8 | HAEMOPTYSIS | 214 |
| 9 | ANXIETY | 213 |
| 10 | NAUSEA | 212 |
| 11 | DEATH | 209 |
| 12 | PAIN IN EXTREMITY | 202 |
| 13 | BLOOD GLUCOSE DECREASED | 193 |
| 14 | BLOOD GLUCOSE INCREASED | 193 |
| 15 | VOMITING | 191 |
| 16 | ASTHMA | 190 |
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
You should not take this medicine if you have a tumor in your adrenal gland called pheochromocytoma. It can cause a large increase in blood pressure. Also, you should not take it if you have a tumor called insulinoma, as it can cause low blood sugar. Do not take if you are allergic to glucagon.
Known Drug Interactions
Warfarin Clinical Impact: Glucagon for Injection may increase the anticoagulant effect of warfarin. Intervention: Monitor patients for unusual bruising or bleeding, as adjustments in warfarin dosage may be required. ( 7 ) • Warfarin : Glucagon for Injection may increase the anticoagulant effect of warfarin.
Mechanism: Glucagon can make warfarin more powerful, which increases the risk of bleeding.
Indomethacin Clinical Impact: In patients taking indomethacin, Glucagon for Injection may lose its ability to raise blood glucose or may even produce hypoglycemia. Intervention: Monitor blood glucose levels during glucagon treatment of patients taking indomethacin. ( 7 ) • Indomethacin : In patients taking indomethacin Glucagon for Injection may lose its ability to raise glucose or may produce hypoglycemia.
Mechanism: Indomethacin can prevent glucagon from raising your blood sugar and may even cause your blood sugar to drop too low.
The following are examples of medications that may reduce the glucose-lowering effect of sulfonylureas including glimepiride, leading to worsening glycemic control: danazol, glucagon, somatropin, protease inhibitors, atypical antipsychotic medications (e.g., olanzapine and clozapine), barbiturates, diazoxide, laxatives, rifampin, thiazides and other diuretics, corticosteroids, phenothiazines, thyroid hormones, estrogens, oral contraceptives, phenytoin, nicotinic acid, sympathomimetics (e.g., epinephrine, albuterol, terbutaline), and isoniazid.
Mechanism: Glucagon is used to raise blood sugar, so it works against glimepiride's ability to lower it.
Drugs That May Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of NOVOLOG Drugs: Atypical antipsychotics (e.g., olanzapine and clozapine), corticosteroids, danazol, diuretics, estrogens, glucagon, isoniazid, niacin, oral contraceptives, phenothiazines, progestogens (e.g., in oral contraceptives), protease inhibitors, somatropin, sympathomimetic agents (e.g., albuterol, epinephrine, terbutaline), and thyroid hormones. • Drugs that may decrease the blood glucose lowering effect: atypical antipsychotics, corticosteroids, danazol, diuretics, estrogens, glucagon, isoniazid, niacin, oral...
Mechanism: Glucagon acts to raise blood sugar, which directly opposes the way insulin works to lower it. This makes the insulin less effective at controlling your sugar levels.
Drugs That May Decrease the Blood Glucose Lowering Effect of XULTOPHY 100/3.6 Drugs: Atypical antipsychotics (e.g., olanzapine and clozapine), corticosteroids, danazol, diuretics, estrogens, glucagon, isoniazid, niacin, oral contraceptives, phenothiazines, progestogens (e.g., in oral contraceptives), protease inhibitors, somatropin, sympathomimetic agents (e.g., albuterol, epinephrine, terbutaline), and thyroid hormones.
Mechanism: Glucagon naturally raises blood sugar, which works against the way insulin lowers it.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
What should I do if I feel sick after taking glucagon?
How will I know if the glucagon is working?
Can I use glucagon if I don't have diabetes?
Can I drive after taking glucagon?
How should I teach my family/friends to use glucagon?
What if the glucagon solution looks cloudy?
Can I use glucagon for mild low blood sugar?
How often can I use glucagon?
Does glucagon expire?
Can I inject glucagon into my arm?
What are the common side effects of glucagon?
Does glucagon interact with other medications?
What drug class is glucagon?
Is there a generic version of glucagon?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for glucagon?
Related Medications in Glucagon (Hypoglycemia Rescue)
Other drugs grouped near glucagon - same-class peers and common alternatives.
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canagliflozin
Invokana
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colesevelam
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Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for glucagon: 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: 3,944.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 16.58%.
- haloperidol Δ 0.00 pts · 23,495 reports · Typical Antipsychotic 16.58%death share
- piroxicam Δ 0.00 pts · 6,176 reports · Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) 16.58%death share
- aprepitant Δ 0.00 pts · 17,740 reports · NK1 Receptor Antagonist (Antiemetic) 16.58%death share
- octreotide Δ 0.05 pts · 5,230 reports · Somatostatin Analog 16.63%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
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 glucagon
The FDA label for glucagon (sold under brand names such as Baqsimi, GlucaGen) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Glucagon (Hypoglycemia Rescue) class. Glucagon is used to treat very low blood sugar in adults and children who have diabetes. Official labeling lists 9 commonly reported side effects, including Nausea, Vomiting, Headache.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 3,944 voluntary reports. The database also lists 14 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $209.53 versus $277.03 for the brand - a 24% generic savings.
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, 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). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
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: December 15, 2024
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