Versed Side Effects

Nausea, vomiting, and a slow heart rate are some of the common side effects reported with Versed. Side effects of the medication are mostly minor, requiring little or no treatment. There are, however, a number of potentially serious Versed side effects that should be reported to a healthcare provider right away. Among these more serious side effects are difficulty breathing, an irregular heart rhythm, and signs of an allergic reaction.

 

An Introduction to Versed Side Effects

As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Versed® (midazolam). However, not everyone who takes the medication will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
 
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Versed. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Versed side effects with you.)
 

Common Versed Side Effects

Versed has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials in which the side effects of a group of people taking the drug are documented and compared to another group not taking the medicine. As a result, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
 
In these studies, the most common side effects of Versed (when injected into a muscle or through an IV) included:
 
  • Tenderness at the IV site (when Versed is given by IV) -- up to 5.6 percent
  • Pain during the IV -- up to 5 percent
  • Hiccups -- up to 3.9 percent
  • Pain in the muscle (when injected directly into a muscle) -- up to 3.7 percent
  • Nausea -- up to 2.8 percent
  • Redness at the IV site -- up to 2.6 percent
  • Vomiting -- up to 2.6 percent
  • Drowsiness -- up to 1.2 percent.
    •  
When Versed is taken by mouth (using Versed syrup) in children, common side effects included:
 
  • Vomiting -- in up to 11 percent of children
  • Nausea -- up to 5 percent
  • Agitation -- up to 2 percent
  • A slow heart rate (bradycardia) -- up to 2 percent.
    •  
(Versed Side Effects Continued: Page 2)
Add this article to your Favorites     Email this article     Print
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;