Dextrose: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Dextrose is a medicine sold in the U.S. under 4 brand and generic names. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Available as
- Injectable
- Sold as
- 4 products — Dextrose 40% in Plastic Container, Dextrose 50% in Plastic Container and Dextrose 60% in Plastic Container, and others
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Not in our catalog
How dextrose is dosed
From the FDA label for Dextrose 50% in Plastic Container (application NDA020047). Other dextrose products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Pharmacy Bulk Package. Not for direct intravenous infusion. ( 2.1 ) • For slow intravenous infusion only into a: ( 2.2 ) o Central vein, if final dextrose concentration is greater than 5% or osmolality is greater than 900 mOsm/L approximately. o Peripheral vein, if final dextrose concentration 5% or less and osmolality is less than 900 mOsm/L approximately. • Individualize dosage based on the patient’s clinical condition, body weight, nutritional/fluid requirements, as well as additional energy given orally/enterally. ( 2.3 ) • Discontinue infusion of concentrated dextrose solutions slowly. ( 2.4 ) 2.1 Preparation Instructions Prior to Administration Dextrose Injection is supplied as a pharmacy bulk package for admixing only and is not for direct intravenous infusion. Dextrose Injection is intended for use in the preparation of sterile, intravenous admixtures. Prior to administration, Dextrose Injection must be transferred to a separate PN container , diluted with other compatible intravenous fluids and used as an admixture in PN solutions. • Do not remove from overpouch until ready to use. • Tear protective overwrap at slit and remove solution container. Small amounts of moisture may be found on the solution container from water permeating from inside the container. The amount of permeated water is insufficient to affect the solution significantly. If larger amounts of water…
Dextrose side effects
The following adverse reactions associated with the use of Dextrose Injection were identified in clinical trials or postmarketing reports. Because these reactions were reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to estimate their frequency, reliably, or to establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: • Pulmonary embolism due to pulmonary vascular precipitates [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Hyperglycemia and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] • Hypersensitivity reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] • Vein damage and thrombosis [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] • H yponatremia and hyponatremic encephalopathy [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] • Risk of infections [see Warnings and Precautions (5.6) ] • Refeeding syndrome [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] • Aluminum toxicity [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] • Hepatobiliary disorders [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] • Risk of parenteral nutrition associated liver disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.10) ] • Electrolyte imbalance and fluid overload [see Warnings and Precautions (5.11) ] The most common adverse reactions are, hyperglycemia, hypersensitivity reactions, infection both systemic and at the injection…
Who shouldn’t take dextrose
The use of Dextrose Injection is contraindicated in patients: • Who are severely dehydrated as hypertonic dextrose solution can worsen the patient’s hyperosmolar state [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2)] . • Known hypersensitivity to dextrose [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3)] . Severe dehydration. ( 4 )
Dextrose drug interactions
Other Products that Affect Glycemic Control, Vasopressin or Fluid and/or Electrolyte Balance : Monitor blood glucose concentrations, fluid balance serum electrolyte concentrations and acid-base balance. ( 7.1 ) 7.1 Other Products that Affect Glycemic Control or Fluid and/or Electrolyte Balance Dextrose Injection can affect glycemic control and fluid and/or electrolyte balance [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2 , 5.5 , 5.11 )] . Monitor blood glucose concentrations, fluid balance, serum electrolyte concentrations and acid-base balance when using Dextrose Injection in patients treated with other substances that affect glycemic control, or fluid and/or electrolyte balance (such as diuretics and anti-epileptics).
Every dextrose product we track (4)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 4 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → |
Combination products containing dextrose
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
- Aminosyn 3.5% W/ Dextrose 25% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn 3.5% W/ Dextrose 5% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn 4.25% W/ Dextrose 25% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn II 3.5% in Dextrose 25% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn II 3.5% in Dextrose 5% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn II 3.5% W/ Electrolytes in Dextrose 25% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn II 4.25% in Dextrose 10% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn II 4.25% in Dextrose 20% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn II 4.25% in Dextrose 25% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn II 4.25% W/ Electrolytes in Dextrose 25% in Plastic Container
- Aminosyn II 5% in Dextrose 25% in Plastic Container
- Kabiven in Plastic Container
Dextrose recalls
From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.
DEXTROSE INJECTION USP
Lack of Assurance of Sterility; potential for leakage from the diaphragm port once the foil is removed.
B BRAUN MEDICAL INC · Apr 2, 2026
Bupivacaine Hydrochloride 0.75% in 8.25% Dextrose Injection
Lack of Assurance of Sterility
Huons Co., Ltd. · Apr 2, 2026
5% Dextrose Injection
Lack of Assurance of Sterility
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC · Mar 11, 2026
5% Dextrose Injection
Lack of Assurance of Sterility
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC · Mar 11, 2026
5% Dextrose Injection
Lack of Assurance of Sterility
Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC · Mar 11, 2026
How long dextrose keeps
No dextrose 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 dextrose expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about dextrose
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 109,869 reports naming dextrose, and the FDA flagged 77% 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:
- hypotension5,779 reports
- peritonitis5,570 reports
- peritonitis bacterial4,171 reports
- peritoneal dialysis complication4,091 reports
- fluid overload3,694 reports
- dehydration3,512 reports
- pneumonia3,356 reports
- vomiting2,993 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean dextrose 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 dextrose?
Dextrose 50% in Plastic Container (Dextrose) is a medication supplied as an injection, solution.
Can you take dextrose 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 dextrose against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is dextrose sold under?
We track 4 dextrose-containing products in the U.S.: Dextrose 40% in Plastic Container, Dextrose 50% in Plastic Container, Dextrose 60% in Plastic Container and Dextrose 70% in Plastic Container. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does dextrose come in?
Across the brands we track, dextrose 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 dextrose?
We do not currently list a generic-labelled dextrose 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.
Has dextrose been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists at least 5 recall records whose product description mentions dextrose. The most recent: DEXTROSE INJECTION USP (Apr 2, 2026). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Dextrose: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/dextrose
- MLA
- “Dextrose: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/dextrose.
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 dextrose on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.