Hypotension after Buprenorphine in cats

The FDA has received 98 reports of hypotension in cats after Buprenorphine. That is 1.8% of all reports for this medicine, compared with 0.3% across reports for all cat medicines, so it is reported unusually often with this medicine.

98Reports

71%Marked serious

30%Recovered

31%Died or euthanised

Same dayTypical onset

How soon it started

Same day

54 62%

1–2 days

22 25%

3–7 days

3 3.4%

1–4 weeks

5 5.7%

Over a month

3 3.4%

How the animals did

Recovered

29 30%

Still unwell when reported

26 27%

Died

14 14%

Euthanised

16 16%

Not known

13 13%

Problems reported at the same time

30 31%

29 30%

29 30%

24 24%

17 17%

15 15%

14 14%

14 14%

Age of the animals

Under 1 year

1–3 years

4–7 years

8–11 years

12+ years

About this medicine

Buprenorphine pain relief (an opioid).

Questions owners ask

Can Buprenorphine cause hypotension in cats?: 98 reports link the two, but a report alone does not prove the medicine was the cause: other illnesses, other medicines or coincidence can be involved. Your vet can judge it for your animal.
How soon after a dose was it reported?: In half of the reports with dates, it started within the same day of the first dose.
What should I do?: Don't give another dose until you've spoken to your vet, and keep the packaging so you can tell them the product and dose. Your vet can also report it to the FDA (or you can, through the manufacturer or FDA form 1932a).

Hypotension with similar medicines

Hypotension after Dexmedetomidine (Dexdomitor) 51 reports · 1.9% of its reports

All reported side effects of Buprenorphine in cats · Medicines most reported with hypotension