Complete adverse effect profile including incidence rates and management
Important Safety Information
This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Contact your healthcare provider if you experience any unexpected symptoms. For serious or life-threatening side effects, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following adverse reactions are discussed in more detail in other sections of the labeling: Hypersensitivity [see Contraindications (4) ] Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Adolescents and Young Adults [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Serotonin Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Elevated Blood Pressure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Increased Risk of Bleeding [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Angle-Closure Glaucoma [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] Activation of Mania/Hypomania [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] Discontinuation Syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] Seizure [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] Hyponatremia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] Weight and Height Changes in Pediatric Patients [see Warnings and Precautions (5.10) ] Appetite Changes in Pediatric Patients [see Warnings and Precautions (5.11) ] Interstitial Lung Disease and Eosinophilic Pneumonia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.12) ] Sexual Dysfunction [see Warnings and Precautions (5.13) ] Most common adverse reactions (incidence ≥ 5% and at least twice the rate of placebo): nausea, somnolence, dry mouth, sweating, abnormal ejaculation, anorexia, constipation, impotence (men), and libido decreased ( 6.1 ).
To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Aurobindo Pharma USA, Inc.
at 1-866-850-2876 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
6.1 Clinical Studies Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in clinical practice.
Most Common Adverse Reactions The most commonly observed adverse reactions in the clinical study database in venlafaxine hydrochloride extended-release capsules treated patients in MDD, GAD, SAD, and PD (incidence ≥5% and at least twice the rate of placebo) were: nausea (30%), somnolence (15.3%), dry mouth (14.8%), sweating (11.4%), abnormal ejaculation (9.9%), anorexia (9.8%), constipation (9.3%), impotence (5.3%), and decreased libido (5.1%).
Adverse Reactions Reported as Reasons for Discontinuation of Treatment Combined across short-term, placebo-controlled premarketing studies for all indications, 12% of the 3,558 patients who received venlafaxine hydrochloride extended-release capsules (37.5 to 225 mg) discontinued treatment due to an adverse experience, compared with 4% of the 2,197 placebo-treated patients in those studies.
The most common adverse reactions leading to discontinuation in ≥1% of the venlafaxine hydrochloride extended-release capsules treated patients in the short-term studies (up to 12 weeks) across indications are shown in Table
Table 7: Incidence (%) of Patients Reporting Adverse Reactions Leading to Discontinuation in Placebo-controlled Clinical Studies (up to 12 Weeks Duration) Body System Adverse Reaction Venlafaxine Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules n = 3,558 Placebo n = 2,197 Body as a whole Asthenia 1.7 0.5 Headache 1.5 0.8 Digestive system Nausea 4.3 0.4 Nervous system Dizziness 2.2 0.8 Insomnia 2.1 0.6 Somnolence 1.7 0.3 Skin and appendages 1.5 0.6 Sweating 1 0.2 Common Adverse Reactions in Placebo-controlled Studies The number of patients receiving multiple doses of venlafaxine hydrochloride extended-release capsules during the premarketing assessment for each approved indication is shown in Table
The conditions and duration of exposure to venlafaxine in all development programs varied greatly, and included (in overlapping categories) open and double-blind studies, uncontrolled and controlled studies, inpatient (Effexor only) and outpatient studies, fixed-dose, and titration studies.
Table 8: Patients Receiving Venlafaxine Hydrochloride Extended-Release Capsules in Premarketing Clinical Studies a In addition, in the premarketing assessment of Effexor, multiple doses were administered to 2,897 patients in studies for MDD.
5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Serotonin Syndrome : Increased risk when co-administered with other serotonergic agents, but also when taken alone.
If it occurs, discontinue venlafaxine hydrochloride extended-release capsules and serotonergic agents and initiate supportive treatment ( 4 , 5.2 , 7.1 ).
Elevated Blood Pressure : Control hypertension before initiating treatment.
Monitor blood pressure regularly during treatment ( 5.3 ).
Increased Risk of Bleeding : Concomitant use of aspirin, NSAIDs, other antiplatelet drugs, warfarin, and other anticoagulants may increase risk ( 5.4 ).
Like all medications, Venlafaxine Hydrochloride can cause side effects. However, not everyone who takes this medication will experience them. Many side effects are dose-dependent and may improve as your body adjusts to the medication. Others may require dose adjustment or medical attention.
Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you experience:
Seek immediate emergency medical care if you experience signs of: