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 — Nefazodone(click to collapse)
1/4 selected
Nefazodone
Serzone
Serotonin Antagonist / Reuptake Inhibitor
FDA-approved indications
- Major depressive disorder in adults
Off-label uses
- PTSD (preliminary efficacy data)
- Panic disorder (preliminary data)
- Agitated depression in elderly with early dementia (adjunct with trazodone at bedtime)
MechanismSerotonin antagonist + SERT inhibitor with alpha-adrenergic blocking
Half-life2-4 hours
Decision GuideWhen to pick each / when to consider an alternative
Nefazodone
Consider when
- Sexual dysfunction is treatment-limiting on SSRI/SNRI — ~8% SD rate vs 58–73% with SSRIs (Montejo 2001, n=1022)
- Depression with sleep-architecture disruption — preserves REM without heavy sedation or weight gain unlike trazodone/mirtazapine
- Weight-neutral antidepressant needed — no weight gain in trials; advantage over mirtazapine (OR 4.23 for gain) and paroxetine
- Patient needs non-serotonergic sleep benefit — 5-HT2A antagonism improves sleep efficiency without GABA or orexin mechanism
- +1 more
Consider an alternative when
- Any liver disease or elevated baseline transaminases — contraindicated; boxed warning for hepatic failure (1 per 250K–300K pt-yr)
- Patient on CYP3A4 substrates (statins, triazolam, immunosuppressants) — potent 3A4 inhibitor; triazolam contraindicated
- Elderly with fall risk — orthostatic hypotension (2.8%) from α1 antagonism combined with somnolence (25%)
- Adherence-sensitive patient — BID dosing, multi-week titration, nonlinear PK; brand withdrawn, generic supply fragile
- +1 more
Efficacy & Acceptability (2 axes)— NMA efficacy & discontinuation data (not side effects)
| Axis | Nefazodone |
|---|---|
| 📊 Efficacy (response rates) | |
MDDEfficacy | |
| 🛡️ Acceptability (all-cause discontinuation) | |
MDDAcceptability | |
| Axis | Nefazodone SARI |
|---|---|
| CNS | |
Sedation / somnolence | |
Dizziness | |
Headache | |
| Metabolic | |
Weight gain | |
| Autonomic | |
Dry mouth (xerostomia) | |
| Sensory | |
Visual disturbances (blurred vision, diplopia, lens changes) | |
| GI | |
Nausea / GI (general) | |
Constipation / GI hypomotility | |
| Hepatic | |
Liver enzymes / hepatotoxicity | |
| Sexual | |
Sexual dysfunction | |