diazepam vs fluvoxamine

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Side-by-side comparison of diazepam and fluvoxamine. 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

At present, this reaction is known to occur with cimetidine, ketoconazole, fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, and omeprazole.

Drug Class
diazepam Benzodiazepine
fluvoxamine Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI)
Type
diazepam Prescription
fluvoxamine Prescription
Summary
diazepam

Diazepam (Valium) is a medicine that can help with anxiety, muscle spasms, and seizures. It belongs to a class of drugs called benzodiazepines, which work by slowing down the brain.

fluvoxamine

Fluvoxamine is a medicine that can help treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It belongs to a class of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

What It Treats
diazepam

Diazepam can help manage anxiety disorders or provide short-term relief from anxiety symptoms. It can also relieve symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, such as shaking or agitation. Additionally, diazepam can help with muscle spasms and may be used with other medicines to treat seizures.

fluvoxamine

Fluvoxamine is used to treat obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD involves having constant, unwanted thoughts or behaviors that you feel the need to repeat. These thoughts or actions can cause you distress and interfere with your daily life.

How It Works
diazepam

Diazepam works by increasing the effects of a natural chemical in the brain called GABA. GABA helps to calm the brain and nerves. This can reduce anxiety, relax muscles, and prevent seizures.

fluvoxamine

Fluvoxamine works by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a chemical that helps regulate mood. By increasing serotonin, fluvoxamine can help reduce the symptoms of OCD.

Common Side Effects
diazepam
  • Drowsiness
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle weakness
  • Uncoordinated movements
fluvoxamine
  • Abnormal ejaculation
  • Loss of appetite
  • Problems having an orgasm
  • Weakness
  • Diarrhea
FAERS Reports
diazepam
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 9,167
  • Drug Abuse 7,019
  • Nausea 6,149
  • Fatigue 5,714
  • Pain 5,202
fluvoxamine
  • Drug Interaction 215
  • Nausea 117
  • Somnolence 114
  • Anxiety 103
  • Suicidal Ideation 96
Serious Warnings
diazepam

Diazepam can be habit-forming and can cause serious side effects, including breathing problems, coma, and even death, especially when taken with opioid pain medicines or alcohol. You should not stop taking diazepam suddenly, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor about how to slowly stop taking diazepam.

fluvoxamine

Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts or actions in children, teenagers, and young adults. Tell your doctor right away if you have any sudden changes in mood, behavior, thoughts, or feelings, especially if they are new, get worse, or worry you. Watch for suicidal thoughts or actions. Families and caregivers should also be aware of these risks.

Pregnancy
diazepam

Diazepam may harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if diazepam passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.

fluvoxamine

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Fluvoxamine may cause problems for the baby if taken during pregnancy. Fluvoxamine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This diazepam vs fluvoxamine Comparison

diazepam is classified in the Benzodiazepine drug class, while fluvoxamine 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, diazepam has 33,251 submissions while fluvoxamine has 645. 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 fluvoxamine blocks the enzymes that usually clear diazepam from your blood. this makes the effects of diazepam last longer and feel stronger.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for diazepam or fluvoxamine.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.