Drug Comparison
For educational purposes only — a decision-support tool, not a substitute for clinical judgment.
Side-by-side rubric across 96 psychiatric medications. Every rating traces to a verbatim primary-source quote — click any cell to see it.
How to read this tool ▾
Rating scale
– Favorable / lower than class baseline
± Minimal / equivocal
+ Low / uncommon
++ Moderate / common
+++ High / very common
++++ Very high / class-outlier
Frequency vs severity
F = frequency, S = severity. Each gets its own pill colored on the same traffic-light scale: green → blue → yellow → orange → red. Click any cell for incidence percentages and NNH.
Evidence tier
A Network meta-analysis / RCT / FDA label
B Cohort / registry / pooled label data
C Expert review / textbook / case series
Sourcing
Click any cell to see the verbatim source quote and citation. Missing data shows n/a.
Data depth
++ Graded — frequency + severity, primary-source traces
+ FDA label — §6 frequency only (dashed border). Click for sub-types.
Blank — not yet checked (not “absent”)
–±++++++++++ABCF = frequency · S = severity · Dashed border = FDA label only · Click cell for details
1 drug selected — Gabapentin(click to collapse)
1/4 selected
Gabapentin
Neurontin · Gralise
Gabapentinoid (Calcium Channel Alpha-2-Delta Ligand)
FDA-approved indications
- Postherpetic neuralgia (adults)
- Partial-onset seizures — adjunct (adults; pediatric 3+ years)
Off-label uses
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Social anxiety disorder
- Alcohol use disorder
Half-life5 to 7 hours
Decision GuideWhen to pick each / when to consider an alternative
Gabapentin
Consider when
- Neuropathic pain — FDA-approved for postherpetic neuralgia; extensive off-label use for diabetic neuropathy and other neuropathic pain
- Alcohol use disorder (off-label) — evidence for reducing heavy drinking and improving sleep/mood in AUD; especially alcohol withdrawal
- Anxiety with insomnia component — GABAergic effect provides anxiolysis and sleep improvement; useful when benzodiazepines avoided
- Comorbid epilepsy and pain/anxiety — FDA-approved adjunctive therapy for partial seizures; dual benefit
- +1 more
Consider an alternative when
- Renal impairment — dose adjustment required; 100% renally excreted unchanged; accumulates in renal failure
- Respiratory depression risk (opioid co-use) — FDA warning for respiratory depression when combined with opioids or CNS depressants
- Nonlinear absorption at high doses — saturable L-amino acid transporter limits absorption; bioavailability drops from 60% (300 mg) to 27% (4800 mg)
- Abuse/misuse concern — increasingly recognized abuse potential; some states schedule gabapentin; euphoria at supratherapeutic doses
- +1 more
| Axis | Gabapentin gabapentinoid |
|---|---|
| Boxed Warnings | |
Suicidality (boxed warning) | |
Respiratory depression (opioid / CNS depressant co-use) | |
DRESS / multiorgan hypersensitivity | |
| CNS | |
Sedation / somnolence | |
Other neurologic effects | |
Dizziness | |
| Metabolic | |
Weight gain | |
| Sensory | |
Visual disturbances (blurred vision, diplopia, lens changes) | |
| GI | |
Nausea / GI (general) | |
| Dermatologic | |
Rash (including SJS/TEN, pruritus, hypersensitivity) | |
| Sexual | |
Sexual dysfunction | |
| Discontinuation | |
Withdrawal / discontinuation | |
| Interactions | |
CYP interactions / DDI profile | |
| Drug-specific / distinctive axes | |
Axis 14 — Sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP, W&P 5.10) only in Gabapentin | |