deutetrabenazine vs fluoxetine
Side-by-side comparison of deutetrabenazine and fluoxetine. 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
Concomitant use of strong CYP2D6 inhibitors (e.g., paroxetine, fluoxetine, quinidine, bupropion) has been shown to increase the systemic exposure to the active dihydro-metabolites of deutetrabenazine by approximately 3-fold.
Recommendation: Your doctor should adjust your dose and monitor you for increased side effects.
Austedo
Prozac, Sarafem
Austedo and Austedo XR help control movements in adults with Huntington's disease or tardive dyskinesia. It works by changing the levels of certain chemicals in the brain.
Fluoxetine is a medicine that can help treat depression and other mental health conditions. It belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
Austedo and Austedo XR are used to treat chorea (uncontrollable movements) caused by Huntington's disease. They also treat tardive dyskinesia, which causes repetitive, involuntary movements. These medicines can help you control these movements.
Fluoxetine can treat major depressive disorder in adults and children. It also treats obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in adults and children. Fluoxetine can help with bulimia nervosa (an eating disorder) and panic disorder. Sometimes, it is used with another medicine called olanzapine to treat depression related to bipolar disorder.
Austedo and Austedo XR affect a protein in the brain called VMAT2. This protein helps move certain chemicals like dopamine. By blocking VMAT2, Austedo and Austedo XR help regulate these chemicals, which reduces unwanted movements.
Fluoxetine works by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a chemical that helps regulate mood. By increasing serotonin, fluoxetine can help improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression, OCD, and other conditions.
- • Feeling sleepy
- • Diarrhea
- • Dry mouth
- • Feeling tired
- • Runny nose
- • Abnormal dreams
- • Problems ejaculating
- • Loss of appetite
- • Feeling anxious
- • Feeling weak
- Feeling sad or hopeless 463
- Involuntary movements 403
- Death 402
- Shaking 330
- Sleepiness 305
- The medicine is interacting with another medicine 3,336
- Harmful effect from different substances 3,316
- Feeling sick to your stomach 3,233
- Feeling tired 3,155
- Death by suicide 2,904
Austedo and Austedo XR can increase the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts in people with Huntington's disease. If you have Huntington's disease, your doctor will monitor you closely for any changes in your mood or behavior. Tell your doctor right away if you feel depressed or have thoughts of harming yourself. You should not take Austedo or Austedo XR if you are suicidal or have untreated depression.
Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teenagers, and young adults. Watch closely for worsening depression or suicidal thoughts. Tell your doctor right away if you notice any changes in mood or behavior. Fluoxetine is not approved for use in children younger than 7 years old.
It is not known if Austedo or Austedo XR will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if Austedo or Austedo XR passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking this medicine.
Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Fluoxetine should only be used during pregnancy if the benefit outweighs the risk to the baby. Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking fluoxetine.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
Compare deutetrabenazine with
Compare fluoxetine with
How to Read This deutetrabenazine vs fluoxetine Comparison
deutetrabenazine is classified in the VMAT2 Inhibitor drug class, while fluoxetine 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, deutetrabenazine has 1,903 submissions while fluoxetine has 15,944. 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 fluoxetine blocks the liver's ability to break down deutetrabenazine, which can triple the amount of the drug 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 deutetrabenazine and fluoxetine - 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.