Metoprolol vs Nebivolol: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Metoprolol | Nebivolol | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| Brand names | Metoprolol Tartrate | – |
| FAERS reports | 271,764 | 33,545 |
| Serious | 70% | 70% |
| Death outcome | 30,898 | 2,385 |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Metoprolol | Nebivolol | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nephrogenic anaemia | 1,014 · PRR 21.2 | 92 · PRR 12.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Hyperparathyroidism secondary | 532 · PRR 20.3 | 44 · PRR 11.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Haemorrhagic anaemia | 470 · PRR 9.0 | 53 · PRR 7.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Rebound acid hypersecretion | 415 · PRR 11.9 | 36 · PRR 7.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Coronary artery stenosis | 389 · PRR 6.4 | 51 · PRR 6.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder | 223 · PRR 20.0 | 21 · PRR 12.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Essential hypertension | 196 · PRR 6.2 | 26 · PRR 6.3 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
Labeled signals distinctive to Metoprolol
- Bradycardia — n=3,427, PRR 5.3 Labeled adverse reaction
- Coronary artery disease — n=2,442, PRR 6.6 Labeled adverse reaction
- Sinus bradycardia — n=625, PRR 5.3 Labeled (related wording)
- Angina unstable — n=543, PRR 6.9 Labeled (related wording)
- Coronary arterial stent insertion — n=352, PRR 5.7 Labeled (related wording)
- Rhinitis allergic — n=337, PRR 6.3 Labeled (related wording)
- Hypertensive emergency — n=168, PRR 12.8 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Nebivolol
- Cardiac failure chronic — n=44, PRR 6.5 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Metoprolol or Nebivolol?
Metoprolol has 271,764 FAERS reports and Nebivolol 33,545. 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 (70% vs 70%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Metoprolol and Nebivolol share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for nephrogenic anaemia, hyperparathyroidism secondary, haemorrhagic anaemia, rebound acid hypersecretion, coronary artery stenosis. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Metoprolol or Nebivolol 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.