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Pentoxifylline Risks

Pentoxifylline is the name for a generic oral medication available with a doctor's prescription. Despite its effectiveness at relieving leg pain due to poor circulation, pentoxifylline poses a risk for side effects in some patients.

  1. Types of Side Effects

    • Common side effects of pentoxifylline include belching, flatulence, bloating, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness and headaches, which occur in 3.6 to 8.7 percent of users, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

    Features

    • Though unpleasant, the most common side effects of pentoxifylline pose little risk for long-term health complications. Because the drug has the potential to cause dizziness or drowsiness, avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until you know how pentoxifylline affects you.

    Drug Interactions

    • When combined with blood thinners like warfarin, pentoxifylline increases your risk of developing prolonged bleeding after an injury or surgery. Pentoxifylline also increases the risk of developing toxic side effects from theophylline, a medication often used to treat lung diseases, warns the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

    Risks

    • Approximately 2.2 percent of patients develop chest pains or angina from pentoxifylline, while 0.7 percent experience arrhythmia due to the drug, according to U.S. National Library of Medicine. Less common risks associated with pentoxifylline include severe allergic reactions, liver inflammation or decreased liver functioning and shortages of white or red blood cells or blood platelets.

    Considerations

    • Because its effects upon fetal development are unknown, doctors rarely prescribe pentoxifylline for use in pregnant women. If you have a history of stroke, a condition that poses a risk for bleeding like stomach ulcers or kidney or liver disease, it may not be safe for you to take pentoxifylline, cautions the Mayo Clinic.

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