A total of 788 patients were studied in premarketing clinical trials of butorphanol tartrate nasal spray. In nearly all cases the type and incidence of side effects with butorphanol were those commonly observed with opioid analgesics.
The adverse experiences described below are based on data from short-term and long-term clinical trials in patients receiving intranasal butorphanol, except acute studies in normal subjects. There has been no attempt to correct for placebo effect or to subtract the frequencies reported by placebo-treated patients in controlled trials.
The most frequently reported adverse experiences across all clinical trials with butorphanol tartrate nasal spray were somnolence (49%), dizziness (23%), nausea and/or vomiting (8%). In long-term trials with butorphanol tartrate nasal spray only, nasal congestion (13%) and insomnia (11%) were frequently reported.
The following adverse experiences were reported at a frequency of 1% or greater in clinical trials, and were considered to be probably related to the use of butorphanol.
Body as a Whole: Asthenia/lethargy, headache, sensation of heat, pain.
Cardiovascular: Hypertension, hypotension.
Digestive: Anorexia, constipation, dry mouth, nausea and/or vomiting, diarrhea.
Nervous: Anxiety, confusion, dizziness, euphoria, floating feeling, insomnia, nervousness, paresthesia, somnolence, tremor.
Respiratory: Epistaxis, nasal congestion, nasal irritation, rhinitis, sinus congestion, sinusitis, nose pain.
Skin and Appendages: Sweating, pruritus.
Special Senses: Blurred vision, ear pain, tinnitus, unpleasant taste.
The following adverse experiences were reported with a frequency of less than 1% in clinical trials and were considered to be probably related to the use of butorphanol.
Cardiovascular: Hypotension, syncope.
Nervous: Abnormal dreams, agitation, dysphoria, hallucinations, hostility, withdrawal symptoms.
Skin and Appendages: Rash/hives.
Urogenital: Impaired urination.
The following infrequent additional adverse experiences were reported in a frequency of less than 1% of the patients studied in short-term butorphanol tartrate nasal spray trials or trials of butorphanol tartrate injection and under circumstances where the association between these events and butorphanol administration is unknown. They are being listed as alerting information for the physician due to their clinical significance.
Body as a Whole: Edema.
Cardiovascular: Chest pain, hypertension, tachycardia.
Nervous: Depression.
Respiratory: Shallow breathing.