Lidocaine and Epinephrine Bitartrate side effects: what 53,035 FDA adverse event reports show
Drug class
Amide Local Anesthetic, Antiarrhythmic
Label matched
Lidocaine (Lidocaine)
Who reports
53,035 reports · 74% serious · 5,462 with death outcome · 63% female
Used for
Lidocaine Ointment 5% is indicated for production of anesthesia of accessible mucous membranes of the oropharynx. It is also useful as an anesthetic lubricant for intubation and for the temporary relief of pain associated with minor burns, including sunburn, abrasions of the skin, and insect bites.
What it is
DESCRIPTION Lidocaine Ointment 5% contains a local anesthetic agent and is administered topically. See INDICATIONS AND USAGE for specific uses. Lidocaine Ointment 5% contains lidocaine, which .
Boxed warning
None in the current label
Causality screen of the 40 strongest signals
What the badges mean
- Labeled (related wording) The label describes this effect under different wording (e.g. 'neutropenia' for 'neutrophil count decreased'). Treated as known.
- Likely indication confounding The term appears in the label's indications: reports probably describe the disease being treated (or its progression), not a drug effect. Classic confounding by indication.
- Reporting / coding artifact An administrative, monitoring or exposure term (product issue, off-label use, 'test normal', overdose...). Not a biological reaction; a high PRR here reflects how reports are coded.
- Not in label — unassessed Not found in the label text, not an artifact pattern. This is a genuine candidate for a formal causality assessment (Bradford Hill / WHO-UMC); it has NOT had one here.
Strongest disproportionality signals
Flagged terms (PRR ≥ 2, χ² ≥ 4, n ≥ 10), ranked by PRR; infinite PRRs (no comparator reports) excluded. The EBGM column is a second, shrinkage-based estimate (MGPS) with its 5th percentile EB05 and the BCPNN IC025; a pair flagged by PRR alone is marked PRR-only and should be read as fragile. The strata column recomputes the PRR on serious reports only (and, for the 300 most-reported drugs, adjusted for age band), and flags pairs whose reports are unusually skewed by sex or come mostly from consumers. Each row also shows the PRR against the other drugs of the same FDA class, which removes most confounding by the condition being treated, and a calibrated p-value: on validation, known non-causes average an ROR of about 2, so significance is judged against that empirical null (✓ = p < 0.05 after calibration). 1,151 further terms are in the interactive explorer. Reaction links open the term's cross-drug page.
| Reaction | Reports | PRR 95% CI · ROR · χ²/p | EBGM EB05 · IC025 | Label screen | Serious-only & strata | Trial cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Local anaesthetic systemic toxicity | 622 | 603.4 532.4–683.9ROR 610.6 · calibrated p 8e-15 ✓ | 235.4 EB05 220.3 · IC025 +7.5 3/3 methods agree | Labeled (related wording) related wording | serious n=619 · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Inspiratory capacity decreased | 93 | 202.1 157.3–259.6ROR 202.5 · calibrated p 6e-10 ✓ | 129.9 EB05 109.2 · IC025 +5.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=93 · ♀ 0% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Sleep disorder therapy | 56 | 170.2 124.3–233.0ROR 170.4 · calibrated p 4e-9 ✓ | 114.2 EB05 91.2 · IC025 +5.4 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious n=56 · ♀ 0% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Appendicolith | 82 | 108.9 85.2–139.1ROR 109.0 · calibrated p 9e-8 ✓ | 83.7 EB05 69.5 · IC025 +5.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=82 · ♀ 0% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Analgesic therapy | 56 | 88.2 66.0–117.9ROR 88.3 · calibrated p 5e-7 ✓ | 70.4 EB05 56.3 · IC025 +5.0 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious n=56 · ♀ 0% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Drug therapy | 57 | 85.6 64.3–114.0ROR 85.7 · calibrated p 6e-7 ✓ | 68.8 EB05 55.1 · IC025 +5.0 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious n=57 · ♀ 0% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Maternal exposure during delivery | 160 | 77.9 65.8–92.3ROR 78.1 · calibrated p 8e-7 ✓ | 64.6 EB05 56.6 · IC025 +5.5 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious n=148 · ♀ 100% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Toxic anterior segment syndrome | 178 | 77.2 65.7–90.6ROR 77.5 · calibrated p 8e-7 ✓ | 64.2 EB05 56.6 · IC025 +5.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=173 | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site discharge | 218 | 57.7 50.1–66.5ROR 57.9 · calibrated p 6e-6 ✓ | 50.2 EB05 44.8 · IC025 +5.3 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=187 · ♀ 83% (drug 63%) · 88% consumer | not reported in cached trials |
| Methaemoglobinaemia | 251 | 48.3 42.4–55.1ROR 48.6 · calibrated p 2e-5 ✓ | 43.0 EB05 38.7 · IC025 +5.1 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=240 · ♀ 41% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Lagophthalmos | 43 | 46.2 33.7–63.4ROR 46.2 · calibrated p 3e-5 ✓ | 40.7 EB05 31.5 · IC025 +4.3 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=41 · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site mass | 96 | 39.0 31.6–48.1ROR 39.1 · calibrated p 7e-5 ✓ | 35.3 EB05 29.8 · IC025 +4.6 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=78 · ♀ 85% (drug 63%) · 71% consumer | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site urticaria | 58 | 38.1 29.1–49.9ROR 38.2 · calibrated p 9e-5 ✓ | 34.4 EB05 27.6 · IC025 +4.3 3/3 methods agree | Labeled (related wording) related wording | serious n=47 · ♀ 100% (drug 63%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site bruising | 176 | 35.6 30.5–41.5ROR 35.7 · calibrated p 1e-4 ✓ | 32.6 EB05 28.8 · IC025 +4.7 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=138 | not reported in cached trials |
| Cauda equina syndrome | 63 | 35.0 27.1–45.3ROR 35.1 · calibrated p 1e-4 ✓ | 31.9 EB05 25.8 · IC025 +4.3 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=63 · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site pruritus | 252 | 34.7 30.5–39.5ROR 34.9 · calibrated p 1e-4 ✓ | 31.9 EB05 28.7 · IC025 +4.7 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=180 · ♀ 88% (drug 63%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site haemorrhage | 239 | 31.4 27.5–35.8ROR 31.5 · calibrated p 2e-4 ✓ | 29.1 EB05 26.1 · IC025 +4.6 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=190 · 74% consumer | not reported in cached trials |
| Anaesthetic complication | 194 | 30.9 26.7–35.7ROR 31.0 · calibrated p 2e-4 ✓ | 28.6 EB05 25.4 · IC025 +4.5 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious n=167 · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Procedural hypotension | 54 | 26.5 20.1–34.9ROR 26.6 · calibrated p 6e-4 ✓ | 24.7 EB05 19.7 · IC025 +3.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=53 · ♀ 100% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Anaesthetic complication neurological | 55 | 25.3 19.3–33.3ROR 25.3 · calibrated p 8e-4 ✓ | 23.7 EB05 18.9 · IC025 +3.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=53 · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site rash | 82 | 25.3 20.2–31.6ROR 25.3 · calibrated p 7e-4 ✓ | 23.7 EB05 19.7 · IC025 +4.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=58 | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site swelling | 367 | 25.0 22.5–27.8ROR 25.2 · calibrated p 7e-4 ✓ | 23.5 EB05 21.6 · IC025 +4.3 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=251 | not reported in cached trials |
| Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder | 63 | 24.5 19.0–31.6ROR 24.6 · calibrated p 9e-4 ✓ | 23.0 EB05 18.6 · IC025 +3.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=63 | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site discomfort | 58 | 23.7 18.2–30.9ROR 23.8 · calibrated p 0.001 ✓ | 22.3 EB05 17.9 · IC025 +3.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=48 · ♀ 100% (drug 63%) · 100% consumer | not reported in cached trials |
| Allergic sinusitis | 47 | 22.8 17.0–30.6ROR 22.8 · calibrated p 0.001 ✓ | 21.4 EB05 16.8 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=43 · ♀ 100% (drug 63%) | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site nodule | 49 | 22.7 17.0–30.3ROR 22.7 · calibrated p 0.001 ✓ | 21.3 EB05 16.8 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | ♀ 100% (drug 63%) · 100% consumer | not reported in cached trials |
| Kounis syndrome | 111 | 20.4 16.8–24.6ROR 20.4 · calibrated p 0.002 ✓ | 19.3 EB05 16.5 · IC025 +3.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=111 · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site warmth | 58 | 20.0 15.4–26.0ROR 20.0 · calibrated p 0.002 ✓ | 18.9 EB05 15.2 · IC025 +3.6 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=40 · ♀ 100% (drug 63%) · 100% consumer | not reported in cached trials |
| Nephrogenic anaemia | 222 | 19.7 17.2–22.5ROR 19.7 · calibrated p 0.002 ✓ | 18.7 EB05 16.8 · IC025 +4.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=222 | not reported in cached trials |
| Hyperparathyroidism secondary | 118 | 19.3 16.0–23.2ROR 19.3 · calibrated p 0.003 ✓ | 18.4 EB05 15.7 · IC025 +3.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=118 | not reported in cached trials |
| Delayed recovery from anaesthesia | 44 | 19.2 14.2–26.0ROR 19.2 · calibrated p 0.003 ✓ | 18.2 EB05 14.1 · IC025 +3.4 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=38 · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site irritation | 57 | 19.0 14.5–24.7ROR 19.0 · calibrated p 0.003 ✓ | 18.0 EB05 14.4 · IC025 +3.5 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | ♀ 100% (drug 63%) · 100% consumer | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site erythema | 357 | 17.7 16.0–19.7ROR 17.9 · calibrated p 0.003 ✓ | 17.0 EB05 15.6 · IC025 +3.9 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=239 | not reported in cached trials |
| Device infusion issue | 105 | 17.7 14.5–21.5ROR 17.7 · calibrated p 0.004 ✓ | 16.9 EB05 14.3 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious n=87 · 100% consumer | not reported in cached trials |
| Hyperphosphataemia | 90 | 17.5 14.2–21.6ROR 17.5 · calibrated p 0.004 ✓ | 16.7 EB05 14.0 · IC025 +3.6 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=90 · ♀ 0% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site pain | 539 | 17.4 16.0–18.9ROR 17.5 · calibrated p 0.004 ✓ | 16.7 EB05 15.5 · IC025 +3.9 3/3 methods agree | Likely indication confounding term in indications | serious n=356 | not reported in cached trials |
| Incorrect drug administration rate | 176 | 17.1 14.7–19.9ROR 17.2 · calibrated p 0.004 ✓ | 16.4 EB05 14.5 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Reporting / coding artifact | serious n=150 | not reported in cached trials |
| Hyperthermia malignant | 60 | 16.7 12.9–21.6ROR 16.7 · calibrated p 0.005 ✓ | 15.9 EB05 12.8 · IC025 +3.4 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=60 · ♀ 0% (drug 63%) · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
| Infusion site extravasation | 248 | 16.4 14.4–18.6ROR 16.4 · calibrated p 0.005 ✓ | 15.7 EB05 14.2 · IC025 +3.7 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=156 | not reported in cached trials |
| Retinal vasculitis | 45 | 15.5 11.5–20.9ROR 15.6 · calibrated p 0.007 ✓ | 14.8 EB05 11.4 · IC025 +3.2 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious n=45 · 100% clinician | not reported in cached trials |
Trial evidence (ClinicalTrials.gov)
✓ Trial adverse-event data found on ClinicalTrials.gov
Largest completed trials with posted results that list Lidocaine and Epinephrine Bitartrate as a study intervention. The right-hand column of the signal table shows whether each FAERS term was also recorded in these trials, with a real denominator (0 of 40 signal terms matched).
- NCT01401647 — Amiodarone, Lidocaine or Neither for Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Due to Ventricular Fibrillation or Tachyca (N=3024, PHASE3; 5 AE terms posted; arms: Amiodarone; Lidocaine; Normal Saline)
Caveats: trial populations, doses and follow-up differ from the reporting population; AE terms are sponsor-coded and matched here by wording; absence from a trial list means the term was not reported above the sponsor's frequency threshold, not that it cannot occur.
Most frequently reported reactions
By raw co-report count, regardless of disproportionality. Common terms here are often the illness itself or generic outcomes.
| Reaction | Reports | PRR 95% CI · ROR · χ²/p | EBGM EB05 · IC025 | Label screen | Serious-only & strata | Trial cross-check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drug ineffective (drug did not work) | 3,825 | 1.1 1.1–1.2ROR 1.2 · calibrated p 0.413 | 1.1 EB05 1.1 · IC025 +0.1 | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 1.6 | not reported in cached trials |
| Pain | 3,345 | 2.2 2.1–2.2ROR 2.2 · calibrated p 0.935 | 2.1 EB05 2.1 · IC025 +1.0 3/3 methods agree | Likely indication confounding term in indications | serious PRR 2.1 | not reported in cached trials |
| Nausea | 3,245 | 1.6 1.6–1.7ROR 1.7 · calibrated p 0.750 | 1.6 EB05 1.6 · IC025 +0.6 | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 1.9 | not reported in cached trials |
| Fatigue (tiredness) | 3,169 | 1.6 1.6–1.7ROR 1.7 · calibrated p 0.740 | 1.6 EB05 1.6 · IC025 +0.6 | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 1.7 | not reported in cached trials |
| Headache | 2,915 | 1.8 1.8–1.9ROR 1.9 · calibrated p 0.884 | 1.8 EB05 1.8 · IC025 +0.8 | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 2.0 | not reported in cached trials |
| Off label use (used outside approved label) | 2,799 | 1.3 1.2–1.3ROR 1.3 · calibrated p 0.502 | 1.3 EB05 1.2 · IC025 +0.3 | Reporting / coding artifact | serious PRR 1.4 | not reported in cached trials |
| Dyspnoea (shortness of breath) | 2,353 | 1.6 1.6–1.7ROR 1.7 · calibrated p 0.755 | 1.6 EB05 1.6 · IC025 +0.6 | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 1.5 | not reported in cached trials |
| Pneumonia (lung infection) | 2,118 | 2.6 2.5–2.7ROR 2.7 · calibrated p 0.745 | 2.6 EB05 2.5 · IC025 +1.3 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 2.1 | NCT01401647: 100/993 (10.1%) on Lidocaine and Epinephrine Bitartrate |
| Diarrhoea (diarrhea) | 2,097 | 1.3 1.2–1.3ROR 1.3 · calibrated p 0.509 | 1.3 EB05 1.2 · IC025 +0.3 | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 1.3 | not reported in cached trials |
| Vomiting | 1,972 | 1.7 1.6–1.7ROR 1.7 · calibrated p 0.764 | 1.7 EB05 1.6 · IC025 +0.7 | Labeled adverse reaction exact term | serious PRR 1.6 | not reported in cached trials |
| Sinusitis | 1,965 | 7.7 7.4–8.0ROR 7.9 · calibrated p 0.068 | 7.5 EB05 7.3 · IC025 +2.8 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 7.8 | not reported in cached trials |
| Dizziness | 1,837 | 1.5 1.4–1.5ROR 1.5 · calibrated p 0.626 | 1.5 EB05 1.4 · IC025 +0.5 | Labeled adverse reaction exact term | serious PRR 1.6 | not reported in cached trials |
| Pyrexia (fever) | 1,800 | 2.1 2.0–2.2ROR 2.1 · calibrated p 0.996 | 2.1 EB05 2.0 · IC025 +1.0 | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 1.7 | not reported in cached trials |
| Fall | 1,785 | 2.1 2.0–2.2ROR 2.2 · calibrated p 0.968 | 2.1 EB05 2.0 · IC025 +1.0 3/3 methods agree | Not in label — unassessed | serious PRR 1.7 | not reported in cached trials |
| Hypotension (low blood pressure) | 1,768 | 3.5 3.4–3.7ROR 3.6 · calibrated p 0.461 | 3.5 EB05 3.4 · IC025 +1.7 3/3 methods agree | Labeled adverse reaction exact term | serious PRR 3.0 | NCT01401647: 114/993 (11.5%) on Lidocaine and Epinephrine Bitartrate |
Unlabeled candidate signals
These flagged terms were not found in the FDA label text and do not match an artifact pattern. They are the pairs that would merit a structured assessment (temporality, dose-response, biological plausibility, consistency across databases, trial or cohort evidence). The screen has not done that; string-matching misses label wording, and a strong PRR can still be stimulated reporting, co-medication, or the disease itself.
- Inspiratory capacity decreased — n=93, PRR 202.1
- Appendicolith — n=82, PRR 108.9
- Toxic anterior segment syndrome — n=178, PRR 77.2
- Infusion site discharge — n=218, PRR 57.7
- Methaemoglobinaemia — n=251, PRR 48.3
- Lagophthalmos — n=43, PRR 46.2
- Infusion site mass — n=96, PRR 39.0
- Infusion site bruising — n=176, PRR 35.6
- Cauda equina syndrome — n=63, PRR 35.0
- Infusion site pruritus — n=252, PRR 34.7
✓ A hand-written Bradford Hill causality assessment exists for this drug: Oxycodone Hydrochloride ↔ Drug Dependence.
Want to assess one of these properly? The runbook describes the Bradford Hill / trial-evidence workflow used on the assessment page, and handoff_top1000_signals.csv lists the strongest unassessed pairs across all drugs.
Common questions
What are the most reported side effects of Lidocaine and Epinephrine Bitartrate?
In FDA FAERS, the most frequently co-reported reaction terms for Lidocaine and Epinephrine Bitartrate are pain, nausea, fatigue, headache, dyspnoea, pneumonia. These are report counts, not rates: FAERS has no denominator, reporting is voluntary and uneven, and a term can be reported because of the illness being treated rather than the drug.
Does Lidocaine and Epinephrine Bitartrate have an FDA boxed warning?
No. The FDA label retrieved for Lidocaine and Epinephrine Bitartrate has no boxed warning; see the label's Warnings and Precautions for the recognised risks.
Do FAERS signals prove that Lidocaine and Epinephrine Bitartrate causes these side effects?
No. A disproportionality signal (PRR, ROR) means a reaction is reported more often with this drug than with others in the database. That can reflect a real effect, but also the disease being treated, stimulated reporting after news or litigation, co-medications, or how reports are coded. Causality needs temporality, dose-response, biological plausibility, consistency across data sources and, ideally, trial or cohort evidence. This page screens each term against the FDA label and ClinicalTrials.gov results; it does not establish causation.
Sources & methods
- FDA label via openFDA (set ID 015cea25-d323-43dd-a92f-593a8e4a2921, effective 20250807; matched on
openfda.generic_name.exact:"LIDOCAINE") - Bayesian shrinkage measures computed offline over all 1,317,300 cached pairs: BCPNN information component (IC, with Norén closed-form IC025) and MGPS empirical-Bayes geometric mean (EBGM, EB05) with a two-component gamma prior fitted by maximum marginal likelihood (α₁=0.57, β₁=0.02, α₂=1.42, β₂=0.70, w=0.17); unstratified
- FAERS pair statistics from the OpenPV build of 2026-09-14 (openFDA
count=aggregation, fieldpatient.drug.openfda.generic_name.exact, 1,191 reaction terms, min 3 co-reports); PRR/ROR with 95% CI, chi-square with Yates correction - Serious-only and stratified counts (serious:1, patient.patientsex, primarysource.qualification) from openFDA count queries; serious-only PRR uses the drug serious report total and the term global serious total (N_serious=11,882,979); strata shown only when n ≥ 20
- Seriousness and sex counts from openFDA
count=serious,patient.patientsex,seriousnessdeath - ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 (query
LIDOCAINE, results-bearing studies sorted by enrollment)
Page generated 2026-10-14. Label and PubChem text are retrieved automatically and may lag the current label; always check the current prescribing information. OpenPV is a beta research tool of the Open Source Medicine Foundation.