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Cognex Side Effects
High liver enzymes, diarrhea, and nausea are the most common side effects reported with Cognex. Side effects that are rare but possible (occurring in less than 1 percent of people) include weight gain, migraines, and acne. While most Cognex side effects are minor, some are potentially serious and should be reported to a healthcare provider immediately, including seizures, difficulty passing urine, and stomach ulcers.
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with Cognex® (tacrine hydrochloride); however, not everyone who takes the medication will experience side effects. In fact, many people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, they are often minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Cognex. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Cognex side effects with you.)
Cognex has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials. In these clinical trials, one group of people was given the real medication, while another group was given a placebo (a "sugar pill" with no active ingredients). This way, it is possible to see what Cognex side effects occurred, how often they appeared, and how they compared to the group who took the placebo.
In these studies, the most common side effects of Cognex included:
- High liver enzymes -- in up to 29 percent of people
- Nausea and/or vomiting -- up to 28 percent
- Diarrhea -- up to 16 percent
- Dizziness -- up to 12 percent
- Indigestion or heartburn -- up to 9 percent
- Loss of appetite -- up to 9 percent
- Muscle pain -- up to 9 percent.
Other common Cognex side effects, occurring in 2 to 8 percent of people, included:
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
- Gas
- Constipation
- Coordination problems
- Insomnia
- Drowsiness
- Shakiness
- Anxiety
- Facial flushing.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD