Prescription medication · Phosphodiesterase-3 Inhibitor

milrinone

Also sold as Primacor. Milrinone is used for the short-term treatment of acute decompensated heart failure.

Data updated 2026-05-15

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milrinone (Primacor) is a prescription Phosphodiesterase-3 Inhibitor. Milrinone is used for the short-term treatment of acute decompensated heart failure.

Milrinone is a medicine used in the hospital for a short time to help people with severe heart failure. It helps your heart pump better.

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What it does

Milrinone is used for the short-term treatment of acute decompensated heart failure.

Common side effects

Irregular heartbeats

Key warnings

Be careful.

The sections below are summarized in plain English from milrinone's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.

How It Works

Milrinone belongs to a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase-3 inhibitors. It makes more of a substance called cAMP available to your heart and blood vessels. This helps your heart muscle squeeze harder and widens your blood vessels, so blood flows more easily.

Serious Warnings

Be careful. Milrinone can cause life-threatening irregular heartbeats. Your doctor will watch your heart closely while you are taking this medicine.

Common Questions

What should I tell my doctor before taking milrinone?
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to milrinone or any of the other ingredients in the injection. Also, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including any heart problems.
How will I be monitored while taking milrinone?
Your doctor will closely monitor your heart with an EKG machine. They will also check your blood pressure and other vital signs.
What are the possible side effects of milrinone?
Milrinone can cause irregular heartbeats, low blood pressure, and headaches. Tell your doctor if you experience any new or worsening symptoms.
Can milrinone interact with other medications?
Yes, milrinone can interact with other medications, including digoxin and diuretics. Tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking.
How long will I need to take milrinone?
Milrinone is only for short-term use. Your doctor will decide how long you need to take it.
What if I have kidney problems?
Your doctor may need to adjust your dose of milrinone if you have kidney problems.
Can milrinone cause chest pain?
Yes, some people taking milrinone have reported chest pain.
What if I have low potassium?
Low potassium can increase the risk of irregular heartbeats with milrinone. Your doctor will check your potassium levels.
Can milrinone cause liver problems?
In rare cases, milrinone has been linked to abnormal liver function tests.
What if I have a skin reaction?
Skin reactions like rash have been reported with milrinone. Tell your doctor if you develop a rash.
What are the common side effects of milrinone?
The registry lists Irregular heartbeats among the most-reported FAERS reaction terms for milrinone. These counts are not an individual symptom assessment.
What drug class is milrinone?
milrinone belongs to the Phosphodiesterase-3 Inhibitor drug class. It requires a prescription (Rx). Milrinone is used for the short-term treatment of acute decompensated heart failure.
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for milrinone?
The FDA label for milrinone contains product-specific pregnancy or breastfeeding language. PlainMeds does not apply that source text to an individual.

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What the FDA Data Shows for milrinone

The FDA label for milrinone (sold under brand names such as Primacor) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Phosphodiesterase-3 Inhibitor class. Milrinone is used for the short-term treatment of acute decompensated heart failure. Official labeling lists 1 commonly reported side effect, including Irregular heartbeats.

Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. Voluntary reports accumulate over the lifetime of a drug and reflect wide-ranging clinical use. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. 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, 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: January 15, 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