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 — Valbenazine(click to collapse)
1/4 selected
Valbenazine
Ingrezza
VMAT2 Inhibitor
FDA-approved indications
- Tardive dyskinesia
Off-label uses
- Huntington disease chorea (investigational)
- Tourette syndrome (investigational)
MechanismSelective vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitor — reduces dopamine release into the synaptic cleft to treat tardive dyskinesia
Half-life15-22 hours (valbenazine); ~32 hours ([+]-alpha-HTBZ active metabolite)
Decision GuideWhen to pick each / when to consider an alternative
Valbenazine
Consider when
- Tardive dyskinesia — first FDA-approved TD treatment; KINECT-3 NNT of 4 for ≥50% AIMS improvement
- TD in patients on hepatotoxic medications — no boxed warning for hepatotoxicity; mild-moderate hepatic impairment allowed
- Preference for simplest VMAT2 regimen — once-daily dosing, no food requirement, two-step titration (40→80 mg)
- Cleanest VMAT2 pharmacology — single active isomer ([+]-α-HTBZ) with selective VMAT2 binding and minimal off-target activity
- +1 more
Consider an alternative when
- Taking strong CYP3A4 inducers — contraindicated; rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin substantially reduce valbenazine levels
- Cost is primary constraint — brand-only pricing; deutetrabenazine may offer generic availability sooner
- Huntington disease chorea — no HD indication; deutetrabenazine is FDA-approved for both TD and HD chorea
- Taking digoxin — P-gp inhibition increases digoxin exposure; requires monitoring or dose adjustment
- +1 more
| Axis | Valbenazine VMAT2-inhibitor |
|---|---|
| Boxed Warnings | |
Suicidality (boxed warning) | |
| CNS | |
Sedation / somnolence | |
Akathisia / EPS | |
Tardive dyskinesia | |
Fatigue / lethargy | |
| Autonomic | |
Anticholinergic burden | |
| Cardiac | |
QTc prolongation | |
| Safety | |
Falls / elderly risk | |