Prescription medication · Opioid Analgesic
meperidine
Also sold as Demerol. Meperidine is used to manage acute pain that is severe enough to need an opioid pain medicine.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 8,979
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 31
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- In shortage
- FDA status
What the data shows
meperidine (Demerol) is a prescription Opioid Analgesic, reported less often than most tracked drugs (8,979 FDA reports), with 31 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.
meperidine (Demerol) is a prescription Opioid Analgesic. Meperidine is used to manage acute pain that is severe enough to need an opioid pain medicine.
Meperidine is a strong pain medicine. It is used to treat severe, acute pain when other pain medicines are not strong enough.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Shortage Alert
meperidine is currently listed as in shortage by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Hospira, Inc., a Pfizer Company. Status: Unavailable.
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.16/unit
Generic Available
Yes (4 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Meperidine is used to manage acute pain that is severe enough to need an opioid pain medicine.
Common side effects
Lightheadedness, Dizziness, Sleepiness
Key warnings
Meperidine has a boxed warning.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from meperidine's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Meperidine is an opioid agonist. It works by binding to receptors in the brain and spinal cord. This reduces the feeling of pain.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 8,979 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for meperidine, by number of reports
- Drug Hypersensitivity
Drug Hypersensitivity
3,249 reports
- Pain 1,248
Pain
1,248 reports
- Nausea 1,132
Nausea
1,132 reports
- Hyperhidrosis 821
Hyperhidrosis
821 reports
- Rash 775
Rash
775 reports
- Vomiting 734
Vomiting
734 reports
- Overdose 719
Overdose
719 reports
- Hypertension 677
Hypertension
677 reports
- Headache 647
Headache
647 reports
- Pyrexia 631
Pyrexia
631 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 meperidine 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 meperidine sits
meperidine has more FDA adverse-event reports than 37% 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 meperidine; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 8,979 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2002–2025.
Total Reports
8,979
Reports Mentioning Death
724
8.1% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
1,753
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY | 3,249 |
| 3 | PAIN | 1,248 |
| 4 | NAUSEA | 1,132 |
| 6 | HYPERHIDROSIS | 821 |
| 8 | RASH | 775 |
| 9 | VOMITING | 734 |
| 10 | OVERDOSE | 719 |
| 11 | HYPERTENSION | 677 |
| 12 | HEADACHE | 647 |
| 13 | PYREXIA | 631 |
| 14 | FATIGUE | 608 |
| 15 | JOINT SWELLING | 568 |
| 16 | RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS | 567 |
| 17 | UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTION | 564 |
| 18 | INFUSION RELATED REACTION | 559 |
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
Meperidine has a boxed warning. This means it has serious risks. These risks include: Medication errors that can cause overdose, addiction, abuse, and misuse, life-threatening respiratory depression, accidental ingestion (especially by children) can cause a fatal overdose, dangerous effects when taken with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants, and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Make sure you read the Medication Guide.
Known Drug Interactions
7.2 Opioid Drugs Because serious, sometimes fatal reactions have been precipitated with concomitant use of opioid drugs (e.g., meperidine and its derivatives, methadone, propoxyphene, or tramadol) and MAOIs, including selective MAO-B inhibitors, concomitant use of these drugs is contraindicated [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] .
Mechanism: This combination can cause a severe, life-threatening reaction by interfering with how the brain handles certain chemicals.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Meperidine: Risk of serotonin syndrome (4, 7.1) Dextromethorphan: Risk of psychosis or bizarre behavior (4, 7.2) MAO inhibitors: Risk of non-selective MAO inhibition and hypertensive crisis (4, 7.3) 7.1 Meperidine Serious, sometimes fatal reactions have been precipitated with concomitant use of meperidine (e.g., Demerol and other tradenames) and MAO inhibitors including selective MAO-B inhibitors [see Contraindications (4)] .
Mechanism: Combining these medications can cause a life-threatening reaction called serotonin syndrome, where a brain chemical reaches dangerously high levels. This can lead to serious or even fatal health problems.
Product Clinical Comment on Concomitant Use [See Contraindications (4.1)] ; Predominant Effect/Risk [Hypertensive Reaction (HR) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] ; or Serotonin Syndrome (SS) [See Warnings and Precautions (5.7)] ] Altretamine Use with caution If not otherwise specified in this table, consider avoiding concomitant use (see also information on medication-free intervals , use agent at the lowest appropriate dose, monitor for effects of the interaction, advise the patient to report potential effects, and be prepared to discontinue the agent and treat effects of the...
Mechanism: This combination can cause a life-threatening reaction involving very high blood pressure or too much serotonin in the brain. The drugs prevent your body from properly breaking down these powerful chemicals.
Examples: Benzodiazepines and other sedatives/hypnotics, anxiolytics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, general anesthetics, antipsychotics, gabapentinoids (gabapentin or pregabalin), other opioids, alcohol.
Mechanism: Both drugs slow down the central nervous system. This can lead to increased sleepiness, dizziness, or breathing difficulties.
Examples: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that effect the serotonin neurotransmitter system (e.g., mirtazapine, trazodone, tramadol), certain muscle relaxants (i.e., cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) (those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue).
Mechanism: Both drugs increase the level of a brain chemical called serotonin. Too much serotonin can cause a serious reaction called serotonin syndrome.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I take this for my chronic back pain?
What should I do if I feel like the medicine is not working anymore?
Can I drink alcohol while taking this medicine?
Is it okay to drive while taking this medication?
What should I do if someone accidentally takes my medicine?
Can I stop taking this medicine suddenly?
Will this medicine make me constipated?
Can I take other medications with meperidine?
How long will it take for this medicine to work?
What are the symptoms of an overdose?
What are the common side effects of meperidine?
Does meperidine interact with other medications?
What drug class is meperidine?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for meperidine?
Is meperidine currently in shortage?
Related Medications in Opioid Analgesic
Other drugs grouped near meperidine - same-class peers and common alternatives.
abatacept
Orencia
Orencia is a medicine that helps to reduce inflammation.
Compare with meperidine →
acetaminophen
Tylenol
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a medicine that can relieve pain and reduce fever.
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acetaminophen/hydrocodone
Vicodin, Norco
This medicine contains acetaminophen and hydrocodone.
Compare with meperidine →
acetaminophen/oxycodone
Percocet
Percocet is a strong pain medicine.
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adalimumab
Humira
Idacio is a medicine that blocks a protein called TNF.
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Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for meperidine: 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: 8,979.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 8.06%.
- gemfibrozil Δ 0.01 pts · 14,954 reports · Fibrate 8.08%death share
- quinapril Δ 0.02 pts · 6,775 reports · ACE Inhibitor 8.04%death share
- benazepril Δ 0.04 pts · 7,061 reports · ACE Inhibitor 8.10%death share
- lovastatin Δ 0.04 pts · 25,229 reports · HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) 8.11%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 meperidine
The FDA label for meperidine (sold under brand names such as Demerol) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Opioid Analgesic class. Meperidine is used to manage acute pain that is severe enough to need an opioid pain medicine. Official labeling lists 6 commonly reported side effects, including Lightheadedness, Dizziness, Sleepiness.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 8,979 voluntary reports. The database also lists 31 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.16.
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). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
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: November 20, 2025
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