desvenlafaxine vs selegiline
Side-by-side comparison of desvenlafaxine and selegiline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
Examples selegiline, tranylcypromine, isocarboxazid, phenelzine, linezolid, methylene blue Other Serotonergic Drugs Clinical Impact Concomitant use of PRISTIQ with other serotonergic drugs increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.
Recommendation: Avoid using these drugs at the same time. Talk to your doctor about a safe schedule for switching between these medications.
Pristiq
Emsam
Pristiq is a medicine used to treat depression in adults. It belongs to a class of drugs called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
Selegiline is a medicine that can help manage Parkinson's disease. It is used along with levodopa/carbidopa when that medicine is not working as well as it used to.
Pristiq is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. MDD can cause you to feel sad, lose interest in activities, and have trouble with daily life. This medicine can help improve your mood and energy levels.
Selegiline is used to help people with Parkinson's disease. It's for those who are already taking levodopa/carbidopa. Selegiline can help when their response to levodopa/carbidopa starts to weaken. It can reduce 'off' time and improve movement.
Pristiq works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain. It increases the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine. These chemicals help regulate mood and can improve symptoms of depression.
Selegiline is a selective MAO-B inhibitor. It works by blocking an enzyme in the brain that breaks down dopamine. This helps to increase the amount of dopamine available, which can improve motor control in Parkinson's disease.
- • Feeling sick to your stomach
- • Feeling dizzy
- • Trouble sleeping
- • Increased sweating
- • Constipation
- • Nausea
- • Dizziness
- • Light-headedness
- • Fainting
- • Abdominal pain
- Harmful effect from different substances 233
- Feeling sick to your stomach 206
- Death by suicide 186
- Feeling worried or nervous 180
- Taking too much medicine 174
- Trouble sleeping 184
- Redness where medicine is applied 183
- Feeling dizzy 168
- Seeing or hearing things that are not there 166
- Falling down 137
Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, adolescents, and young adults. If you are started on Pristiq, your doctor will monitor you closely for worsening depression or suicidal thoughts. Families and caregivers should also watch for these changes.
Taking selegiline with meperidine (Demerol) is dangerous and can cause serious reactions. Also, use caution when taking selegiline with tricyclic antidepressants or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) due to the risk of severe toxicity. One patient had a hypertensive crisis when taking selegiline with a sympathomimetic medicine (ephedrine).
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Taking Pristiq late in pregnancy may cause problems in the newborn. There is a pregnancy registry to monitor outcomes in women exposed to antidepressants during pregnancy. You can register by calling 1-844-405-6185.
It is not known if selegiline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if selegiline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This desvenlafaxine vs selegiline Comparison
desvenlafaxine is classified in the Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor (SNRI) drug class, while selegiline sits within the Selective MAO-B Inhibitor 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, desvenlafaxine has 979 submissions while selegiline has 838. 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 moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to these medications both raise serotonin levels in your body. combining them can lead to too much serotonin, which can cause a dangerous reaction.. 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 desvenlafaxine and selegiline - 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.