mirtazapine vs nalbuphine

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Side-by-side comparison of mirtazapine and nalbuphine. 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

Serotonergic Drugs The concomitant use of opioids with other drugs that affect the serotonergic neurotransmitter system, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that effect the serotonin neurotransmitter system (e.g., mirtazapine, trazodone, tramadol), certain muscle relaxants (i.e., cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone), and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and...

Drug Class
mirtazapine Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonergic Antidepressant (NaSSA)
nalbuphine Opioid Agonist-Antagonist
Type
mirtazapine Prescription
nalbuphine Prescription
Summary
mirtazapine

Mirtazapine is a medicine used to treat depression in adults. It can help improve your mood and energy levels.

nalbuphine

Nalbuphine injection is a strong pain medicine. It is used when other pain treatments don't work well enough.

What It Treats
mirtazapine

Mirtazapine is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. This condition can cause you to feel sad, lose interest in activities, and have trouble with sleeping or eating. Mirtazapine can help improve these symptoms.

nalbuphine

Nalbuphine injection is used to manage severe pain that requires a strong opioid medicine. It can also be used before and after surgery to help with pain. It can also be used during labor and delivery for pain relief.

How It Works
mirtazapine

Mirtazapine works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. It helps to increase the levels of norepinephrine and serotonin. These chemicals can help improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression.

nalbuphine

Nalbuphine works by attaching to opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord. These receptors help to block pain signals. Nalbuphine both activates and blocks opioid receptors.

Common Side Effects
mirtazapine
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Increased appetite
  • Weight gain
  • Dizziness
nalbuphine
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Sweaty or clammy skin
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Dizziness
FAERS Reports
mirtazapine
  • Nausea 4,838
  • Fatigue 4,715
  • Fall 4,027
  • Diarrhoea 3,961
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 3,703
nalbuphine
  • Drug Hypersensitivity 36
  • Foetal Exposure During Pregnancy 10
  • Neonatal Asphyxia 10
  • Neonatal Epileptic Seizure 10
  • Pain 7
Serious Warnings
mirtazapine

Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults. Your doctor should closely watch you for worsening depression or suicidal thoughts. Mirtazapine is not approved for use in children.

nalbuphine

Nalbuphine can cause serious breathing problems that can be life-threatening, especially when you first start taking it or after a dose increase. Taking nalbuphine with benzodiazepines (like anxiety or sleep medicines) or other drugs that can make you sleepy, including alcohol, can cause very serious sleepiness, breathing problems, coma, and death.

Pregnancy
mirtazapine

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Mirtazapine should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

nalbuphine

Using nalbuphine during pregnancy may cause breathing problems in the newborn. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if nalbuphine passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

Compare nalbuphine with

How to Read This mirtazapine vs nalbuphine Comparison

mirtazapine is classified in the Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonergic Antidepressant (NaSSA) drug class, while nalbuphine sits within the Opioid Agonist-Antagonist 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, mirtazapine has 21,244 submissions while nalbuphine has 73. 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 combining these drugs can cause serotonin levels to rise too high because both medications influence the same pathways in your nervous system.. 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 mirtazapine or nalbuphine.

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