Dantrolene Side Effects
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Feb 3, 2024.
Applies to dantrolene: intravenous powder for solution, intravenous powder for suspension. Other dosage forms:
Serious side effects of Dantrolene
Along with its needed effects, dantrolene 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 or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking dantrolene:
Rare
- Blue lips and fingernails
- chest pain
- coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum
- difficult, fast, noisy breathing, sometimes with wheezing
- difficulty swallowing
- dizziness
- fast heartbeat
- hives
- increased sweating
- itching
- pale skin
- puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
- shortness of breath
- skin rash
- swelling in legs and ankles
- tightness in chest
- tissue necrosis
- unusual tiredness or weakness
- wheezing
Incidence not known
- Changes in skin color, pain, tenderness, or swelling of foot or leg
Other side effects of Dantrolene
Some side effects of dantrolene 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:
Rare
- Flushing or redness of skin
- unusually warm skin
Incidence not known
- Drowsiness
- muscle weakness
For Healthcare Professionals
Applies to dantrolene: intravenous powder for injection, oral capsule.
General
The more commonly reported adverse reactions have included loss of grip strength, leg weakness, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, thrombophlebitis, and injection site reactions.[Ref]
Hepatic
Common (1% to 10%): Hepatotoxicity, liver function test abnormalities
Frequency not reported: Jaundice, hepatitis, hepatic dysfunction including fatal hepatic failure[Ref]
Gastrointestinal
Common (1% to 10%): Dysphagia, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Constipation
Rare (less than 0.1%): Intestinal obstruction
Frequency not reported: Abdominal cramps, anorexia, alteration of taste, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastric irritation, diarrhea[Ref]
Several reports of severe constipation and abdominal distention leading to functional obstruction have been reported. Diarrhea may be severe and may necessitate temporary withdrawal of therapy. If diarrhea recurs, therapy should probably be permanently discontinued.[Ref]
Hypersensitivity
Postmarketing reports: Anaphylaxis
Local
Common (1% to 10%): Infusion site pain
Postmarketing reports: Thrombophlebitis and tissue necrosis[Ref]
Dermatologic
Frequency not reported: Abnormal hair growth, acne-like rash, eczematoid eruption, sweating, urticaria, rash, erythema[Ref]
Nervous system
Very common (10% or more): Somnolence (up to 17%), dysphonia (13%)
Common (1% to 10%): Headache, dizziness, seizure, lightheadedness, drooling[Ref]
Psychiatric
Frequency not reported: Mental depression, mental confusion, insomnia, nervousness
Genitourinary
Frequency not reported: Incontinence, increased urinary frequency, urinary retention, hematuria, crystalluria, nocturia, difficult urination and/or urinary retention, difficult erection
Cardiovascular
Very common (10% or more): Flushing
Common (1% to 10%): Pericarditis, atrioventricular block, tachycardia
Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Exacerbation of preexisting cardiac insufficiency
Frequency not reported: Bradycardia, labile blood pressure, erratic blood pressure, heart failure, phlebitis[Ref]
Respiratory
Common (1% to 10%): Pleural effusion with associated eosinophilia
Rare (0.01% to 0.1%): -or- Rare (less than 0.1%):
Frequency not reported: Feeling of suffocation, respiratory depression, respiratory failure, dyspnea
Postmarketing reports: Pulmonary edema[Ref]
Pulmonary edema has developed during treatment of malignant hyperthermia; the contributory effect of the diluent volume and mannitol in these cases is not known.[Ref]
Musculoskeletal
Common (1% to 10%): Muscular weakness, extremity pain
Frequency not reported: Myalgia, backache[Ref]
Hematologic
Frequency not reported: Aplastic anemia, leukopenia, lymphocytic lymphoma, thrombocytopenia[Ref]
Ocular
Common (1% to 10%): Blurred vision
Frequency not reported: Visual disturbances, diplopia, excessive tearing[Ref]
Other
Common (1% to 10%): Feeling abnormal
Frequency not reported: Chills, fever, general malaise[Ref]
Renal
Frequency not reported: Transient lowering of GFR and renal plasma flow following 8 weeks of oral therapy
More about dantrolene
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- Drug class: skeletal muscle relaxants
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Patient resources
- Dantrolene drug information
- Dantrolene (Intravenous) (Advanced Reading)
- Dantrolene (Oral) (Advanced Reading)
- Dantrolene Capsules
- Dantrolene Injection
Other brands
Dantrium, Ryanodex, Dantrium Intravenous, Revonto
Professional resources
Other brands
Dantrium, Ryanodex, Dantrium Intravenous, Revonto
Related treatment guides
References
1. Cerner Multum, Inc. UK Summary of Product Characteristics.
2. Cerner Multum, Inc. Australian Product Information.
3. Utili R, Boitnott JK, Zimmerman HJ. Dantrolene-associated hepatic injury. Incidence and character. Gastroenterology. 1977;72:610-6.
4. Wilkinson SP, Portmann B, Williams R. Hepatitis from dantrolene sodium. Gut. 1979;20:33-6.
5. Chan CH. Dantrolene sodium and hepatic injury. Neurology. 1990;40:1427-32.
6. Product Information. Dantrium (dantrolene). Procter and Gamble Pharmaceuticals. 2001;PROD.
7. Dykes MH. Evaluation of a muscle relaxant: dantrolene sodium (Dantrium). JAMA. 1975;231:862-4.
8. Shaivitz SA. Letter: Dantrolene. JAMA. 1974;229:1282-3.
9. Pembroke AC, Saxena SR, Kataria M, Zilkha KD. Acne induced by dantrolene. Br J Dermatol. 1981;104:465-8.
10. Allen GC, Cattran CB, Peterson RG, Lalande M. Plasma levels of dantrolene following oral administration in malignant hyperthermia-susceptible patients. Anesthesiology. 1988;69:900-4.
11. Chyatte SB, Basmajian JV. Dantrolene sodium: long-term effects in severe spasticity. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1973;54:311-5.
12. Andrews LG, Muzumdar AS, Pinkerton AC. Letter: Hallucinations associated with dantrolene sodium therapy. Can Med Assoc J. 1975;112:148.
13. Petusevsky ML, Faling LJ, Rocklin RE, Snider GL, Merliss AD, Moses JM, Dorman SA. Pleuropericardial reaction to treatment with dantrolene. JAMA. 1979;242:2772-4.
14. Miller DH, Haas LF. Pneumonitis with dantrolene. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1984;47:553-4.
15. Felz MW, HavilandFoley DJ. Eosinophilic pleural effusion due to dantrolene: Resolution with steroid therapy. South Med J. 2001;94:502-4.
16. Pace-Balzan A, Ramsden RT. Sudden bilateral sensorineural hearing loss during treatment with dantrolene sodium (dantrium). J Laryngol Otol. 1988;102:57-8.
Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.
Some side effects may not be reported. You may report them to the FDA.