mexiletine vs tizanidine
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Side-by-side comparison of mexiletine and tizanidine. 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
7.2 Moderate or Weak CYP1A2 Inhibitors Concomitant use of tizanidine with moderate or weak CYP1A2 inhibitors (e.g., zileuton, antiarrhythmics [amiodarone, mexiletine, propafenone, and verapamil], cimetidine, famotidine, oral contraceptives, acyclovir, and ticlopidine) should be avoided.
Mexitil
Zanaflex
Mexiletine is a medicine used to treat life-threatening heart rhythm problems. It helps to stabilize your heartbeat.
Tizanidine is a muscle relaxant. It is used to treat spasticity, which is when your muscles are tight or stiff.
Mexiletine is used to treat serious, life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, like sustained ventricular tachycardia. These are problems with the rhythm of the lower chambers of your heart. It is generally not recommended for less severe arrhythmias or asymptomatic premature ventricular contractions.
Tizanidine is used to treat spasticity in adults. Spasticity is a condition where your muscles become stiff or tight. This medicine helps to relax your muscles and reduce the stiffness. It can help you move and feel more comfortable.
Mexiletine belongs to a class of drugs called antiarrhythmics. It works by slowing down the electrical signals in your heart. This helps to make your heartbeat more regular.
Tizanidine works by affecting certain chemicals in your brain. It is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist. This action helps to reduce muscle spasms and tightness.
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Heartburn
- • Dizziness
- • Lightheadedness
- • Dry mouth
- • Sleepiness
- • Weakness
- • Dizziness
- Fatigue 31
- Ventricular Tachycardia 31
- Dyspnoea 26
- Nausea 24
- Poor Quality Sleep 24
- Fatigue 1,693
- Pain 1,614
- Nausea 1,529
- Fall 1,318
- Headache 1,289
Mexiletine may increase the risk of death or cardiac arrest in some patients with a history of heart attack. It should only be used for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. This medicine can also cause liver problems, especially if you have congestive heart failure or ischemia.
Tizanidine can cause low blood pressure, liver problems, and hallucinations. It can also make you very sleepy, especially if you drink alcohol or take other medicines that cause sleepiness. Your doctor should check your liver function before you start taking tizanidine and one month after you reach your highest dose. Do not stop taking tizanidine suddenly, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. The effects of mexiletine during pregnancy are not fully known. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while pregnant or breastfeeding.
Tizanidine may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if tizanidine passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
How to Read This mexiletine vs tizanidine Comparison
mexiletine is classified in the Class IB Antiarrhythmic drug class, while tizanidine sits within the Central Alpha-2 Agonist (Muscle Relaxant) 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, mexiletine has 136 submissions while tizanidine has 7,443. 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 mexiletine reduces your body's ability to get rid of tizanidine, which can increase the risk of a reaction.. 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 mexiletine or tizanidine.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.