Fat Emulsion Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Apr 13, 2025.

Applies to fat emulsion: intravenous emulsion.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your or your child's progress closely while you are receiving this medicine. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests will be needed to check for unwanted effects.

This medicine may cause parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease (PNALD). This usually occurs in patients who have been receiving parenteral nutrition for a long time, especially pre-term infants. Check with your doctor right away if you have chills, clay-colored stools, dark urine, diarrhea, dizziness, fever, headache, itching, loss of appetite, nausea, rash, unpleasant breath odor, unusual tiredness or weakness, vomiting of blood, or yellow eyes or skin.

This medicine may cause acute respiratory distress syndrome and metabolic acidosis in newborns and infants after rapid infusion. Check with your doctor right away if your child has blue lips, fingernails, or skin, difficult, confusion, drowsiness, fast breathing, muscle tremors, nausea, restlessness, stomach cramps, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

This medicine may cause a rare condition called fat overload syndrome. Tell your doctor right away if you or your child have a fever, chills, cough, sore throat, upper right abdominal or stomach pain and fullness, or unusual bleeding, bruising, or weakness.

This medicine may cause a serious allergic reaction, which can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Tell your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, hoarseness, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth after using this medicine.

This medicine may increase your risk of developing infections. Avoid being near people who are sick or have infections while you or your child are receiving this medicine. Wash your hands often. Tell your doctor if you have any kind of infection before you start receiving this medicine. Also tell your doctor if you have ever had an infection that would not go away or an infection that kept coming back.

Call your doctor right away if you or your child start to have a cough that will not go away, weight loss, night sweats, fever, chills, or flu-like symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose, headache, blurred vision, or feeling generally ill. These may be signs that you have an infection.

This medicine may cause aluminum toxicity (too much aluminum in the blood), which may damage the brain and can be life-threatening. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.

Before you have any medical tests, tell the medical doctor in charge that you are receiving this medicine. The results of some tests may be affected by this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Serious side effects of fat emulsion

Along with its needed effects, fat emulsion 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 fat emulsion:

More common side effects

• blurred vision
• dry mouth
• flushed, dry skin
• fruit-like breath odor
• increased hunger
• increased thirst
• increased urination
• nausea
• sweating
• trouble breathing
• unexplained weight loss
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• vomiting

Less common side effects

• bladder pain
• bloody or cloudy urine
• chills
• confusion
• difficult, burning, or painful urination
• dizziness
• fainting
• fever
• frequent urge to urinate
• headache
• lower back or side pain
• nervousness
• pale skin
• pounding in the ears
• rapid, shallow breathing
• slow or fast heartbeat
• unusual bleeding or bruising

Rare side effects

• chest pain or tightness
• changes in skin color
• clay-colored stools
• cough
• dark urine
• eye pain
• general feeling of illness
• itching, skin rash
• loss of appetite
• pain, tenderness, or swelling of the foot or leg
• sneezing
• sore throat
• unpleasant breath odor
• vomiting of blood
• yellow eyes or skin

Incidence not known

• black, tarry stools
• bleeding gums
• blood in the urine or stools
• blue lips, fingernails, or skin
• bluish color
• chest tightness
• confusion
• difficulty in swallowing
• irregular heartbeat
• muscle cramps, pain, or tremors
• numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness in the hands or feet
• pinpoint red spots on the skin
• problems with bleeding or clotting
• restlessness
• sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
• stomach cramps
• swelling of the face, throat, or tongue
• swollen glands
• trouble breathing
• upper right abdominal or stomach pain and fullness

Other side effects of fat emulsion

Some side effects of fat emulsion 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:

Less common side effects

• acid or sour stomach
• belching
• bloated
• excess air or gas in the stomach or intestines
• full feeling
• heartburn
• indigestion
• passing gas
• stomach discomfort or upset

Rare side effects

• change in taste
• loss of taste

Incidence not known

• increased sweating

For healthcare professionals

Applies to fat emulsion: intravenous emulsion.

General adverse events

The most common adverse events in pediatric patients were anemia, vomiting, increased gamma-glutamyl transferase, and nosocomial infection.

Gastrointestinal

Adult patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, vomiting, flatulence, abdominal pain, dyspepsia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Diarrhea

Pediatric patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain^[Ref]

Dermatologic

Adult patients:

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Rash, pruritus

Pediatric patients:

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Rash

Postmarketing:

• Frequency not reported: Hyperhidrosis^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

Adult patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Hypertension
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Tachycardia

Pediatric patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Tachycardia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Hypertension

Postmarketing:

• Frequency not reported: Palpitations, phlebitis^[Ref]

Genitourinary

Adult patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Urinary tract infection^[Ref]

Hepatic

Adult patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased blood bilirubin
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Cholestasis, liver function test abnormalities, increased gamma-glutamyl transferase
• Frequency not reported: Cholecystitis, cholelithiasis

Pediatric patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Increased gamma-glutamyl transferase, cholestasis, hyperbilirubinemia, increased conjugated bilirubin, increased alanine aminotransferase
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): liver function test abnormalities

Postmarketing:

• Frequency not reported: Cholestasis^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Anemia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Leukocytosis, increased C-reactive protein

Pediatric patients:

• Very common (10% or more): Anemia
• Common (1% to 10%): Thrombocytopenia, increased C-reactive protein^[Ref]

Adult patients

Nervous system

Adult patients:

• Frequency not reported: Dysgeusia, headache, dizziness^[Ref]

Metabolic

Adult patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Hyperglycemia, increased blood triglycerides
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Increased alkaline phosphatase

Pediatric patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Hyperglycemia
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Increased alkaline phosphatase, metabolic acidosis, increased blood triglycerides

Postmarketing:

• Frequency not reported: Fatty acid deficiency^[Ref]

Other

Adult patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Pyrexia, fever, device related infections, sepsis

Pediatric patients:

• Common (1% to 10%): Nosocomial infection, pyrexia, sepsis
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Infection, fluid overload

Postmarketing:

• Frequency not reported: Chills, malaise^[Ref]

Respiratory

Adult patients:

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Dyspnea, pneumonia

Postmarketing:

• Frequency not reported: Dyspnea, chest pain^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Fat emulsion 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.

Medical Disclaimer