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 — Lorazepam(click to collapse)
1/4 selected
Lorazepam
Ativan
Benzodiazepine · C-IV
FDA-approved indications
- Anxiety disorders or for the short-term relief of the symptoms of anxiety or anxiety associated with depressive symptoms
Off-label uses
- Catatonia
- Alcohol withdrawal
- Chemotherapy-induced nausea
MechanismBenzodiazepine [EPC]
Half-life12 hours
Decision GuideWhen to pick each / when to consider an alternative
Lorazepam
Consider when
- Hepatic impairment — glucuronidation-only metabolism (no CYP); no active metabolites; preferred benzo in liver disease
- Status epilepticus — IV lorazepam is first-line per AES/AAN guidelines; longer anticonvulsant duration than diazepam IV
- Acute catatonia — IV/IM lorazepam is diagnostic and therapeutic first-line for catatonia; response within minutes
- Reliable IM absorption needed — predictable IM absorption unlike diazepam or chlordiazepoxide; useful when IV access unavailable
- +1 more
Consider an alternative when
- Long-term anxiolytic needed — intermediate t½ (~12 h) may cause interdose anxiety; consider clonazepam or SSRI/buspirone
- Elderly with fall risk — Beers Criteria avoid all benzodiazepines; despite no active metabolites, sedation and falls still occur
- Substance use disorder — moderate abuse potential; benzodiazepine class risk
- Depression comorbidity — may worsen depression; antidepressant-based anxiolytics preferred for anxious depression
- +1 more
| Axis | Lorazepam benzo |
|---|---|
| Boxed Warnings | |
Abuse / addiction liability | |
Respiratory depression (opioid / CNS depressant co-use) | |
| CNS | |
Sedation / somnolence | |
Activation / insomnia | |
Cognitive dulling / anterograde amnesia | |
| GI | |
Nausea / GI (general) | |
| Discontinuation | |
Withdrawal / discontinuation | |
| Interactions | |
CYP interactions / DDI profile | |
| Safety | |
Overdose toxicity | |
Falls / elderly risk | |
| Pregnancy | |
Lactation / breastfeeding safety | |
| Drug-specific / distinctive axes | |
Hematologic effects (DISTINCTIVE — labeled) only in Lorazepam | |