Metoprolol vs Propranolol: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Metoprolol | Propranolol | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | – |
| Brand names | Metoprolol Tartrate | – |
| FAERS reports | 271,764 | 71,644 |
| Serious | 70% | 70% |
| Death outcome | 30,898 | 7,184 |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Metoprolol | Propranolol | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspected suicide | 321 · PRR 5.5 | 143 · PRR 9.0 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
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 Propranolol
- Cardiogenic shock — n=428, PRR 9.0 Labeled adverse reaction
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Metoprolol or Propranolol?
Metoprolol has 271,764 FAERS reports and Propranolol 71,644. 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 Propranolol share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for suspected suicide. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Metoprolol or Propranolol 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.