clomipramine vs sertraline
Side-by-side comparison of clomipramine and sertraline. 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
While all the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), e.g., fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, and fluvoxamine, inhibit P450 2D6, they may vary in the extent of inhibition.
Recommendation: Your doctor may need to lower your clomipramine dose or watch you closely for side effects.
Anafranil
Zoloft
Clomipramine (Anafranil) is a medicine used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It helps reduce unwanted thoughts and repetitive behaviors.
Sertraline is a medicine used to treat depression and other mental health conditions. It helps balance chemicals in your brain to improve your mood and reduce anxiety.
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.
Sertraline is used to treat major depressive disorder in adults. This means it can help with ongoing sadness or loss of interest in things. It also treats obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), where you have unwanted thoughts or behaviors that you can't control. Sertraline can also treat panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and social anxiety disorder.
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.
Sertraline is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a chemical that helps regulate mood, and by blocking its reabsorption, sertraline helps improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- • Dry mouth
- • Constipation
- • Nausea
- • Upset stomach
- • Sleepiness
- • Nausea
- • Diarrhea
- • Headache
- • Insomnia
- • Dizziness
- Interaction with another medicine 226
- Sleepiness 203
- Falling down 202
- Shaking 185
- Feeling sick to your stomach 173
- Feeling sick to your stomach 5,757
- Feeling very tired 5,244
- Loose, watery stools 4,654
- Pain in your head 4,407
- Feeling lightheaded or unsteady 4,121
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.
Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in children, teens, and young adults. Watch closely for worsening depression, unusual behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Sertraline is not approved for treating depression in children.
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. Sertraline may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking sertraline during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
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How to Read This clomipramine vs sertraline Comparison
clomipramine is classified in the Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA) drug class, while sertraline sits within the Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) 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 sertraline has 24,183. 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 sertraline blocks a specific liver protein that breaks down clomipramine. this can cause clomipramine to build up to higher levels in your blood.. 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 sertraline - 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.