Anagrelide Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 30, 2025.

Applies to anagrelide: oral capsule.

Serious side effects of anagrelide

Along with its needed effects, anagrelide may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking anagrelide:

More common side effects

• bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet
• body aches or pain
• burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings
• chest pain
• congestion
• cough
• difficult or labored breathing
• dryness or soreness of the throat
• fast, irregular, pounding, or racing heartbeat or pulse
• fever
• hoarseness
• rapid weight gain
• runny nose
• tender, swollen glands in the neck
• tightness in the chest
• trouble with swallowing
• voice changes

Less common side effects

• anxiety
• blurred vision
• burning feeling while urinating
• chills
• cold sweats
• confusion
• decreased urine output
• dehydration
• difficult or painful urination
• dilated neck veins
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
• extreme tiredness or weakness
• general feeling of discomfort or illness
• headache
• irregular breathing
• joint pain
• large, flat, blue, or purplish patches on the skin
• loss of appetite
• muscle aches and pains
• nausea
• noisy breathing
• pale skin
• redness of the face, neck, arms, and occasionally, upper chest
• severe pain or pressure in the chest or the jaw, neck, back, or arms
• sudden severe headache or weakness
• swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin
• trouble sleeping
• troubled breathing with exertion
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vomiting
• vomiting of blood or material that looks like coffee grounds
• weight gain

Incidence not known

• clay-colored stools
• dark urine
• decreased appetite
• dry cough
• general feeling of tiredness or weakness
• rapid breathing
• skin rash or itching
• stomach pain or tenderness
• yellow eyes or skin

Other side effects of anagrelide

Some side effects of anagrelide may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common side effects

• back pain
• belching
• diarrhea
• excess air or gas in the stomach or bowels
• full feeling
• heartburn
• hives or welts
• indigestion
• lack or loss of strength
• pain
• passing gas
• stomach discomfort, upset, or pain

Less common side effects

• burning feeling in the chest or stomach
• change in vision
• constipation
• continuing ringing or buzzing or other unexplained noise in the ears
• depression
• difficulty with moving
• double vision
• hair loss or thinning of the hair
• hearing loss
• impaired vision
• increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
• leg cramps
• loss of memory
• muscle pain or stiffness
• problems with memory
• redness or other discoloration of the skin
• seeing double
• severe sunburn
• sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
• stuffy nose
• swelling or inflammation of the mouth
• swollen joints

For healthcare professionals

Applies to anagrelide: oral capsule.

General adverse events

• Very common (10% or more): Edema (20.6%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Peripheral edema
• Frequency not reported: Tinnitus, flu symptoms, chills^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Very common (10% or more): Palpitations (26.1%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Chest pain, tachycardia
• Frequency not reported: Arrhythmia, cardiovascular disease, angina pectoris, heart failure, postural hypotension, thrombosis, vasodilation
• Postmarketing reports: Torsades de pointes, ventricular tachycardia, Prinzmetal angina^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Very common (10% or more): Diarrhea (25.7%), nausea (17.1%), abdominal pain (16.4%), flatulence (10.2%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Vomiting, anorexia, dyspepsia, constipation, gastritis, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, hemorrhage, eructation, dehydration^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Headache (43.5%), asthenia (23.1%), dizziness (15.4%), pain (15%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Fever
• Frequency not reported: Migraine, syncope, somnolence, confusion, insomnia, nervousness, amnesia^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Frequency not reported: Anemia, thrombocytopenia, ecchymosis, lymphadenopathy^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): Cholestatic liver failure
• Frequency not reported: Elevated liver enzymes^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Back pain
• Frequency not reported: Arthralgia, myalgia, leg cramps^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Very common (10% or more): Dyspnea (11.9%)
• Frequency not reported: Pharyngitis, cough, rhinitis, epistaxis, respiratory disease, sinusitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, pleural effusion, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary infiltrates, asthma, allergic alveolitis^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Rash (including urticaria)
• Frequency not reported: Skin disease, alopecia, pruritus^[Ref]

Ocular

• Frequency not reported: Photosensitivity, amblyopia, abnormal vision, visual field abnormality, diplopia^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Frequency not reported: Dysuria, hematuria^[Ref]

A 30-year-old man developed erectile dysfunction after 2 months of treatment with anagrelide which disappeared 2 weeks after stopping the drug. A definitive cause could not be determined.^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Very rare (less than 0.01%): A 60-year-old woman developed shortness of breath, palpitations, and chest pain after 1 week of treatment leading to respiratory failure and intubation by week 5. Patient recovered after treatment with methylprednisolone.
• Frequency not reported: Severe hypersensitivity pneumonitis^[Ref]

The authors of the case report of severe hypersensitivity pneumonitis suggest that patients receiving anagrelide therapy, alone or in combination with hydroxyurea, may benefit from monitoring with serial chest X-rays, pulmonary function testing, and echocardiography to detect the development of cardiomyopathy or hypersensitivity pneumonitis.^[Ref]

Renal

• Postmarketing reports: Tubulointerstitial nephritis.

Psychiatric

• Frequency not reported: Depression

Further information

Anagrelide side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

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