Dexamethasone vs Hydrocortisone: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Dexamethasone | Hydrocortisone | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | Corticosteroid | Corticosteroid |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 294,871 | 88,710 |
| Serious | 84% | 82% |
| Death outcome | 47,727 | 11,614 |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Dexamethasone | Hydrocortisone | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary immunodeficiency | 260 · PRR 19.6 | 223 · PRR 54.2 | Labeled (related wording) / Labeled (related wording) |
| Deep vein thrombosis postoperative | 352 · PRR 15.4 | 947 · PRR 222.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Mycobacterium chelonae infection | 143 · PRR 16.9 | 154 · PRR 62.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Dexamethasone
- None stood out among the strongest labeled signals.
Labeled signals distinctive to Hydrocortisone
- Duodenal ulcer perforation — n=2,466, PRR 119.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Steroid withdrawal syndrome — n=250, PRR 76.9 Labeled (related wording)
- Adrenal suppression — n=148, PRR 50.2 Labeled (related wording)
- Topical steroid withdrawal reaction — n=146, PRR 145.5 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Dexamethasone or Hydrocortisone?
Dexamethasone has 294,871 FAERS reports and Hydrocortisone 88,710. More reports does not mean more dangerous: volume follows how widely and how long a drug has been used, prescription vs over-the-counter status, and publicity. The seriousness share (84% vs 82%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Dexamethasone and Hydrocortisone share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for secondary immunodeficiency, deep vein thrombosis postoperative, mycobacterium chelonae infection. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Dexamethasone or Hydrocortisone safer?
FAERS cannot answer that: it has no denominator and no comparator. Use this page to see which risks are already on each label and which signals are unlabeled, then check the prescribing information and your clinician for your situation.
Sources: openFDA FAERS pair statistics (OpenPV build 2026-09-14), FDA labels via openFDA, openFDA count queries for seriousness and deaths. Pair chosen because it is a commonly searched comparison. Generated 2026-10-08.