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 — Zolpidem(click to collapse)
1/4 selected
Zolpidem
Ambien · Zolpimist
Non-Benzodiazepine Hypnotic · C-IV
FDA-approved indications
- Insomnia — short-term, sleep-initiation difficulty (adults)
Off-label uses
- Disorders of consciousness (investigational)
- Catatonia (case reports)
Half-life2.5 hours
Decision GuideWhen to pick each / when to consider an alternative
Zolpidem
Consider when
- Sleep-onset insomnia — most prescribed Z-drug; fast onset within 15–30 minutes; FDA-approved for insomnia
- SL formulation for middle-of-night awakening — Intermezzo (SL 1.75/3.5 mg) FDA-approved for MOTN dosing if ≥4 h before rising
- ER formulation for sleep maintenance — Ambien CR bilayer provides sleep onset + maintenance coverage
- Short-term insomnia treatment — well-established safety for 7–10 day courses; extensive prescribing experience
- +1 more
Consider an alternative when
- Complex sleep behaviors — boxed warning for sleepwalking, sleep-driving, other activities while not fully awake; contraindicated after prior episode
- Elderly or fall-risk patient — FDA recommends 5 mg in elderly/debilitated; next-morning impairment documented; falls risk
- Women (dose sensitivity) — FDA lowered recommended dose for women (5 mg IR, 6.25 mg ER) due to higher morning blood levels
- Substance use disorder — Z-drug class abuse potential; tolerance develops; Schedule IV controlled substance
- +1 more
| Axis | Zolpidem z-drug |
|---|---|
| Boxed Warnings | |
Suicidality (boxed warning) | |
Respiratory depression (opioid / CNS depressant co-use) | |
Complex sleep behaviors | |
| CNS | |
Sedation / somnolence | |
Activation / insomnia | |
Cognitive dulling / anterograde amnesia | |
Other neurologic effects | |
| Discontinuation | |
Withdrawal / discontinuation | |
| Interactions | |
CYP interactions / DDI profile | |
| Safety | |
Overdose toxicity | |
| Pregnancy | |
Lactation / breastfeeding safety | |
| Drug-specific / distinctive axes | |
Next-morning impairment (sex-specific dosing — DISTINCTIVE) only in Zolpidem | |