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 — Oxcarbazepine(click to collapse)
1/4 selected
Oxcarbazepine
Trileptal · Oxtellar XR
Anticonvulsant / Mood Stabilizer
FDA-approved indications
- Partial-onset seizures — monotherapy or adjunctive therapy
Off-label uses
- Bipolar disorder (acute mania, maintenance — limited evidence)
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Neuropathic pain
MechanismVoltage-gated sodium channel blocker (keto-analogue of carbamazepine) with better tolerability and fewer drug interactions
Half-lifeParent: ~2 hours; MHD (active metabolite): ~9 hours
Decision GuideWhen to pick each / when to consider an alternative
Oxcarbazepine
Consider when
- Carbamazepine-like mood stabilization needed without autoinduction — no hepatic enzyme self-induction simplifies dosing and co-prescribing
- Weight-neutral mood stabilizer preferred — no significant weight gain, unlike valproate or many SGAs
- Focal seizures requiring FDA-approved monotherapy — approved as monotherapy and adjunctive for partial seizures in adults and children ≥2
- Trigeminal neuralgia — effective alternative to carbamazepine with better tolerability profile
- +1 more
Consider an alternative when
- Sodium monitoring burden unacceptable — clinically significant hyponatremia in 30–46% (2× rate of carbamazepine), especially with diuretics or in elderly
- Bipolar depression — no evidence for depressive episodes; lithium, lamotrigine, or quetiapine have depression data
- Taking hormonal contraceptives — CYP3A4 induction by MHD reduces ethinyl estradiol/levonorgestrel levels, risking contraceptive failure
- Known carbamazepine allergy — 25–30% cross-reactivity rate for hypersensitivity reactions including SJS/TEN (HLA-B*15:02 screening applies to both)
- +1 more
| Axis | Oxcarbazepine anticonvulsant |
|---|---|
| CNS | |
Sedation / somnolence | |
Dizziness | |
Fatigue / lethargy | |
| Sensory | |
Visual disturbances (blurred vision, diplopia, lens changes) | |
| GI | |
Nausea / GI (general) | |
| Electrolytes | |
Hyponatremia / SIADH | |
| Dermatologic | |
Rash (including SJS/TEN, pruritus, hypersensitivity) | |
| Interactions | |
CYP interactions / DDI profile | |