Cosyntropin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Cosyntropin is an adrenocorticotropic hormone sold in the U.S. under one brand. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
- Available as
- Injectable
- Sold as
- Cortrosyn
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Not in our catalog
How cosyntropin is dosed
From the FDA label for Cortrosyn (application NDA016750). Other cosyntropin products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
2.1 Important Information Before Conducting CORTROSYN TESTING In general, stop glucocorticoids and spironolactone on the day of CORTROSYN testing. However, long-acting glucocorticoids may need to be stopped for a longer period before CORTROSYN testing [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2), Drug Interactions (7)]. Stop estrogen-containing drugs four to six weeks before CORTROSYN testing [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2), Drug Interactions (7)]. 2.2 Recommended Dose for Adults The recommended dose of CORTROSYN in adults is 0.25 mg to be administered by intravenous or intramuscular injection. 2.3 Recommended Dose for Pediatric Patients The recommended dose of CORTROSYN in pediatric patients, aged birth to 17 years, to be administered by intravenous or intramuscular injection is presented in Table 1. 2.4 Reconstitution Instructions Aseptically reconstitute the lyophilized powder in the vial using 1 mL of 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection, USP and gently swirl. After reconstitution, the final concentration of CORTROSYN reconstituted solution is 0.25 mg/mL. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit. The reconstituted CORTROSYN solution should be clear and colorless, and free of particulates. If CORTROSYN solution is cloudy or contains particulates, do not administer. If…
Cosyntropin side effects
Because adverse reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. The following adverse reactions have been identified during post approval use of CORTROSYN: anaphylactic reaction bradycardia tachycardia hypertension peripheral edema rash Most common adverse reactions are: anaphylactic reaction, bradycardia, tachycardia, hypertension, peripheral edema, and rash (6) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Amphastar Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1-800-423-4136 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Who shouldn’t take cosyntropin
CORTROSYN is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to cosyntropin or to any excipients of CORTROSYN. Reactions have included anaphylaxis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]. CORTROSYN is contraindicated in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to cosyntropin or to any excipients of CORTROSYN. Reactions have included anaphylaxis. (4, 5.1)
Cosyntropin drug interactions
7.1 Drug Effects on Plasma Cortisol Levels Accuracy of the test results can be affected by concomitant medications. Plasma cortisol levels and subsequent diagnosis of adrenocortical insufficiency following CORTROSYN administration may be inaccurate if patients are on certain medications because of their effect on cortisol or cortisol binding globulin levels [see Dosage and Administration (2.1) and Warnings and Precautions (5.2)]. Glucocorticoids and spironolactone: May falsely elevate plasma cortisol levels. Stop these drugs on the day of CORTROSYN testing. Long-acting glucocorticoids may need to be stopped for a longer period before CORTROSYN testing. Estrogen: May elevate plasma total cortisol levels. Stop estrogen containing drugs 4 to 6 weeks before CORTROSYN testing to allow cortisol binding globulin levels to return to levels within the reference range. Alternatively, concomitant measurement of cortisol binding globulin at the time of testing can be done; if cortisol binding globulin levels are elevated, plasma total cortisol levels are considered inaccurate. Drug effects on plasma cortisol levels: ◦ Accuracy of the test results can be affected by concomitant medications.◦ Glucocorticoids and spironolactone: May falsely elevate plasma cortisol levels. Stop these drugs on day of CORTROSYN testing. Long-acting glucocorticoids may need to be stopped for a longer period before CORTROSYN testing. (7)◦ Estrogen: May elevate plasma total cortisol levels. Stop estrogen containing drugs 4 to 6 weeks before CORTROSYN testing. (7) See 17 for PATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION Revised 12/2023
Every cosyntropin product we track (1)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
Only one: Cortrosyn.
How long cosyntropin keeps
No cosyntropin label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does cosyntropin expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about cosyntropin
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 203 reports naming cosyntropin, and the FDA flagged 88% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- foetal growth restriction24 reports
- foetal exposure during pregnancy23 reports
- hypoglycaemia18 reports
- dyspnoea15 reports
- hyperkalaemia12 reports
- hypotension12 reports
- nausea12 reports
- pneumonia11 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean cosyntropin caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is cosyntropin?
Cosyntropin is an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Cosyntropin is synthetic beta 1 - 24 corticotropin, a synthetic subunit of ACTH. It is an open chain polypeptide containing, the first 24 of the 39 amino acids of natural ACTH in sequence from N terminal.
What kind of drug is cosyntropin?
The FDA classifies cosyntropin as an adrenocorticotropic hormone. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take cosyntropin with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run cosyntropin against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What forms does cosyntropin come in?
Across the brands we track, cosyntropin is currently marketed as injectable, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic cosyntropin?
We do not currently list a generic-labelled cosyntropin product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Cosyntropin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/cosyntropin
- MLA
- “Cosyntropin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/cosyntropin.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for cosyntropin on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.