disulfiram vs phenytoin
Side-by-side comparison of disulfiram and phenytoin. 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
DISULFIRAM SHOULD BE USED WITH CAUTION IN THOSE PATIENTS RECEIVING PHENYTOIN AND ITS CONGENERS, SINCE THE CONCOMITANT ADMINISTRATION OF THESE TWO DRUGS CAN LEAD TO PHENYTOIN INTOXICATION. PRIOR TO ADMINISTERING DISULFIRAM TO A PATIENT ON PHENYTOIN THERAPY, A BASELINE PHENYTOIN SERUM LEVEL SHOULD BE OBTAINED. SUBSEQUENT TO INITIATION OF DISULFIRAM THERAPY, SERUM LEVELS OF PHENYTOIN SHOULD BE DETERMINED ON DIFFERENT DAYS FOR EVIDENCE OF AN INCREASE OR FOR A CONTINUING RISE IN LEVELS.
Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor your phenytoin blood levels closely before and after you start taking disulfiram.
Antabuse
Dilantin
Disulfiram is a medicine that helps people with long-term alcohol problems stay sober. It is meant to be used with counseling and support.
Phenytoin injection is used to treat certain types of seizures. It can also prevent seizures during or after neurosurgery.
Disulfiram helps manage chronic alcohol problems. It is for people who want to stop drinking. This medicine works best when combined with counseling and support to help you stay sober. It is not a cure for alcoholism.
This medicine treats generalized tonic-clonic status epilepticus, a type of prolonged seizure. It also helps prevent and treat seizures that may happen during or after brain surgery. Sometimes, it can be used for a short time instead of the oral form of phenytoin when you cannot take the medicine by mouth.
Disulfiram blocks the body from breaking down alcohol. If you drink alcohol while taking this medicine, you will feel sick. This helps you avoid drinking alcohol.
Phenytoin works by slowing down the signals in the brain that cause seizures. It stabilizes nerve cell membranes, reducing excessive electrical activity. This helps to prevent seizures from starting or spreading.
- • Mild drowsiness
- • Tiredness
- • Headache
- • Acne
- • Skin rash
No common side effects listed.
- Medicine interacting with another medicine 120
- Tiredness 82
- Poisoning from different things 63
- Feeling sick to your stomach 48
- Feeling confused 47
- The medicine is reacting with another medicine 1,547
- Seizure 1,382
- Poisoning from different substances 1,353
- Convulsion 1,260
- Prolonged seizure 790
If you take disulfiram and drink alcohol, you may have a very bad reaction. This can cause flushing, headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, weakness, blurred vision, confusion, and breathing problems. In severe cases, it can cause seizures, heart problems, and even death.
This medicine can cause serious heart problems if given too quickly. The injection rate should not be faster than 50 mg per minute for adults, and 1 to 3 mg/kg/min (or 50 mg per minute, whichever is slower) for children. Your heart will be monitored closely during and after the injection.
It is not known if disulfiram is safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not take disulfiram if you are breastfeeding.
Taking phenytoin during pregnancy may increase the risk of birth defects. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of this medicine.
How to Read This disulfiram vs phenytoin Comparison
disulfiram is classified in the Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Inhibitor drug class, while phenytoin sits within the Anticonvulsant (Hydantoin) 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, disulfiram has 360 submissions while phenytoin has 6,332. 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 disulfiram interferes with how your body processes phenytoin, which can cause the phenytoin to build up to toxic levels.. 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 disulfiram and phenytoin - 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.