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: greenblueyelloworangered. 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 — Pregabalin(click to collapse)
1/4 selected
Pregabalin
Lyrica
Gabapentinoid (Calcium Channel Alpha-2-Delta Ligand) · C-V
FDA-approved indications
  • Diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (adults)
  • Postherpetic neuralgia (adults)
  • Partial-onset seizures — adjunct (adults; pediatric 1 month+)
  • Fibromyalgia (adults)
Off-label uses
  • Generalized anxiety disorder
  • Social anxiety disorder
  • Alcohol withdrawal
Half-life6 hours
Next:Taper Pregabalin
Decision GuideWhen to pick each / when to consider an alternative
Pregabalin
Consider when
  • Fibromyalgia — FDA-approved for fibromyalgia; one of only three FDA-approved agents (with duloxetine, milnacipran)
  • Neuropathic pain (DPN, PHN, spinal cord injury) — FDA-approved for multiple neuropathic pain indications; broader pain coverage than gabapentin
  • GAD (off-label in US, approved in EU) — EMA-approved for GAD; evidence-based anxiolytic with faster onset than SSRIs
  • Linear pharmacokinetics — predictable dose-response; no saturable absorption unlike gabapentin; more reliable at higher doses
  • +1 more
Consider an alternative when
  • Substance use disorder — Schedule V controlled substance (only gabapentinoid scheduled federally); documented abuse/euphoria potential
  • Weight gain is unacceptable — dose-dependent weight gain; worse than gabapentin; problematic in metabolic syndrome
  • Dizziness or somnolence intolerable — most common AEs (29% and 16%); dose-dependent; may limit titration
  • Peripheral edema — dose-dependent edema; may complicate CHF or conditions where fluid retention is problematic
  • +1 more
Axis
Pregabalin
gabapentinoid
Boxed Warnings
Abuse / addiction liability
Respiratory depression (opioid / CNS depressant co-use)
CNS
Sedation / somnolence
Cognitive dulling / anterograde amnesia
Dizziness
Metabolic
Weight gain
Sensory
Visual disturbances (blurred vision, diplopia, lens changes)
Cardiac
Cardiac conduction / AV block
GI
Nausea / GI (general)
Dermatologic
Rash (including SJS/TEN, pruritus, hypersensitivity)
Interactions
CYP interactions / DDI profile
Safety
Bleeding risk
Drug-specific / distinctive axes
Axis 4 — Peripheral edema (labeled W&P 5.7)
only in Pregabalin
Axis 14 — Tumorigenic potential (W&P 5.9)
only in Pregabalin

Safety: Every rating traces to a verbatim primary-source quote. Click any cell to audit. Stubs are disabled until calibrated. This tool surfaces published evidence — it does not replace clinical judgment.