brivaracetam vs felbamate
Side-by-side comparison of brivaracetam and felbamate Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Briviact
Felbatol
Brivaracetam is a medicine used to treat partial-onset seizures. It helps to reduce the number of seizures you have.
Felbamate is a medicine used to treat seizures. It is usually only prescribed when other treatments haven't worked well enough due to the risk of serious side effects.
Brivaracetam is used to treat partial-onset seizures. These seizures start in one part of the brain. It can be used alone or with other seizure medicines for people 1 month and older.
Felbamate treats partial seizures in adults, both with and without generalization. It is also used as an add-on treatment for seizures related to Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in children. Because of the risk of very serious side effects, you should only use this medicine if other treatments have not worked well enough.
Brivaracetam binds to a protein in the brain called SV2A. This helps to reduce the electrical activity in the brain that causes seizures. It helps to stabilize nerve cells.
Felbamate is an anticonvulsant, meaning it helps to control seizures. The exact way it works in the brain is not fully understood. It is thought to affect certain chemicals in the brain that are involved in seizures.
- • Feeling sleepy or tired
- • Dizziness
- • Fatigue
- • Nausea or vomiting
- • Loss of appetite
- • Vomiting
- • Trouble sleeping
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Headache
- Seizure 2,902
- Using the medicine for a condition it's not approved for 1,036
- The medicine is not working 896
- Tiredness 518
- Sleepiness 442
- Seizure 345
- Medicine not working 251
- Convulsion 124
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 115
- Sleepiness 108
Brivaracetam can cause suicidal thoughts or actions. Watch for new or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, or unusual changes in mood. Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. Do not stop taking brivaracetam suddenly, as this may increase your risk of seizures.
Felbamate can cause a severe type of anemia called aplastic anemia. This condition is very serious and can be deadly. Because of this risk, felbamate should only be used if your epilepsy is very severe and other treatments have not worked. Felbamate can also cause liver failure. Talk to your doctor about these risks before starting felbamate.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. There is a pregnancy registry for women who take brivaracetam during pregnancy. Contact the North American Antiepileptic Drug (NAAED) Pregnancy Registry at 1-888-233-2334.
It is not known if felbamate can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if felbamate passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This brivaracetam vs felbamate Comparison
brivaracetam is classified in the Anticonvulsant (SV2A Ligand) drug class, while felbamate sits within the Anticonvulsant class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, brivaracetam has 5,794 submissions while felbamate has 943. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between brivaracetam and felbamate — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.