imipramine vs propafenone

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Side-by-side comparison of imipramine and propafenone. 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

The drugs that inhibit cytochrome P450 2D6 include some that are not metabolized by the enzyme (quinidine; cimetidine) and many that are substrates for P450 2D6 (many other antidepressants, phenothiazines, and the Type 1C antiarrhythmics propafenone and flecainide).

Drug Class
imipramine Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA)
propafenone Class IC Antiarrhythmic
Type
imipramine Prescription
propafenone Prescription
Summary
imipramine

Imipramine (Tofranil) is a medicine used to treat depression and bedwetting in children. It helps improve mood and reduce bedwetting episodes.

propafenone

Propafenone (Rythmol) is a medicine that helps control irregular heartbeats. It works by slowing down electrical signals in the heart.

What It Treats
imipramine

This medicine can help relieve the symptoms of depression. It may work better for some types of depression than others. Imipramine can also be used to help reduce bedwetting in children 6 years and older, but only after a doctor has ruled out other possible causes.

propafenone

This medicine is used to help keep your heart rhythm normal if you have atrial fibrillation or supraventricular tachycardia. These are types of fast or irregular heartbeats that can cause problems. It can also treat life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Propafenone is for people without structural heart disease.

How It Works
imipramine

Imipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant. It works by increasing the levels of certain natural chemicals in the brain that help regulate mood. For bedwetting, it's thought to affect bladder control.

propafenone

Propafenone works by affecting the electrical activity in your heart. It slows down the signals that cause irregular heartbeats. This helps your heart beat more regularly.

Common Side Effects
imipramine
  • Dry mouth
  • Blurred vision
  • Constipation
  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
propafenone
  • Unusual taste
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • Constipation
FAERS Reports
imipramine
  • Dizziness 35
  • Fatigue 30
  • Hypertension 29
  • Anxiety 28
  • Depression 28
propafenone
  • Atrial Fibrillation 347
  • Drug Interaction 320
  • Dizziness 262
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 231
  • Dyspnoea 226
Serious Warnings
imipramine

Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, teenagers, and young adults. Your doctor will monitor you closely for worsening depression, suicidal thoughts, or unusual changes in behavior. Families and caregivers should also watch for these changes.

propafenone

This medicine may increase the risk of death in people with heart problems. Do not take this medicine if you have structural heart disease and non-life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine.

Pregnancy
imipramine

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. This medicine may not be safe for you or your baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.

propafenone

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This medicine can cross the placenta, and may affect the baby. Your doctor will monitor you and your baby for any problems.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This imipramine vs propafenone Comparison

imipramine is classified in the Tricyclic Antidepressant (TCA) drug class, while propafenone sits within the Class IC Antiarrhythmic 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, imipramine has 150 submissions while propafenone has 1,386. 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 these two medicines use the same pathway in the liver to be broken down, which can lead to higher levels of the drugs in your body.. 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 imipramine or propafenone.

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