clomipramine vs clonidine
Side-by-side comparison of clomipramine and clonidine. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
Several tricyclic antidepressants have been reported to block the pharmacologic effects of guanethidine, clonidine, or similar agents, and such an effect may be anticipated with CMI because of its structural similarity to other tricyclic antidepressants.
Recommendation: Your doctor should check your blood pressure regularly to make sure your blood pressure medicine is still working.
Anafranil
Catapres
Clomipramine (Anafranil) is a medicine used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It helps reduce unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors.
Clonidine (Catapres) is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure. It can be used alone or with other blood pressure medicines.
Clomipramine treats obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD causes upsetting thoughts or images that keep coming back. It also causes the need to repeat actions over and over. Clomipramine can help control these symptoms.
Clonidine is used to treat high blood pressure. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems. This medicine helps to lower your blood pressure to a safer level.
Clomipramine is a type of antidepressant. It works by increasing the amount of certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals help regulate mood and reduce OCD symptoms.
Clonidine works in the brain to lower blood pressure. It tells your blood vessels to relax and widen. This makes it easier for blood to flow through your body, which lowers blood pressure.
- • Dry mouth
- • Constipation
- • Nausea
- • Upset stomach
- • Sleepiness
- • Dry mouth (occurs in about 40 out of 100 people)
- • Drowsiness (occurs in about 33 out of 100 people)
- • Dizziness (occurs in about 16 out of 100 people)
- • Constipation (occurs in about 10 out of 100 people)
- • Feeling sleepy or sedated (occurs in about 10 out of 100 people)
- Interaction with another medicine 226
- Sleepiness 203
- Falling down 202
- Shaking 185
- Feeling sick to your stomach 173
- Pain 3,038
- Tiredness 2,922
- Feeling sick to your stomach 2,918
- Headache 2,799
- High blood pressure 2,597
Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in children, teens, and young adults. Watch closely for worsening mood or unusual behavior. Clomipramine is only approved for OCD in children.
If you suddenly stop taking clonidine, your blood pressure may increase. This can cause serious problems. Talk to your doctor before stopping this medicine.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Clomipramine may harm your unborn baby. It can also pass into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if clonidine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This clomipramine vs clonidine Comparison
clomipramine is classified in the Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA) drug class, while clonidine sits within the Central Alpha-2 Agonist 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, clomipramine has 989 submissions while clonidine has 14,274. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to clomipramine can interfere with how clonidine works in your body. this prevents clonidine from effectively lowering your blood pressure.. 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 clomipramine and clonidine - 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.