mirtazapine vs oxycodone

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Side-by-side comparison of mirtazapine and oxycodone. 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

Examples: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that affect the serotonin neurotransmitter system (e.g., mirtazapine, trazodone, tramadol), certain muscle relaxants (i.e., cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone), monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue).

Drug Class
mirtazapine Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonergic Antidepressant (NaSSA)
oxycodone Opioid Analgesic
Type
mirtazapine Prescription
oxycodone Prescription
Summary
mirtazapine

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

oxycodone

Oxycodone is a strong pain medicine. It is used to treat severe pain that is not helped by other treatments.

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.

oxycodone

Oxycodone is used to manage severe pain. It is for pain that requires an opioid medicine. You should only use it when other pain treatments are not enough. Talk to your doctor about other options if possible.

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.

oxycodone

Oxycodone works by changing how your brain and nervous system respond to pain. It attaches to certain receptors in the brain. This helps to block pain signals and reduce pain.

Common Side Effects
mirtazapine
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Increased appetite
  • Weight gain
  • Dizziness
oxycodone
  • Feeling sick to your stomach
  • Constipation
  • Throwing up
  • Headache
  • Itching
FAERS Reports
mirtazapine
  • Nausea 4,838
  • Fatigue 4,715
  • Fall 4,027
  • Diarrhoea 3,961
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 3,703
oxycodone
  • Drug Dependence 27,480
  • Pain 26,409
  • Death 19,598
  • Overdose 19,081
  • Toxicity To Various Agents 16,253
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.

oxycodone

Oxycodone can cause serious, life-threatening risks: * Addiction, abuse, and misuse can lead to overdose and death. Your doctor will check your risk before prescribing and during treatment. * It can cause very slow or stopped breathing, especially when you start taking it or after a dose increase. * If a child accidentally takes even one dose, it can cause a fatal overdose. * Taking it with benzodiazepines (like Xanax) or other depressants (like alcohol) can cause sleepiness, slowed breathing, coma, and death. * Using oxycodone for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. * Taking oxycodone with certain other medicines can cause dangerous side effects.

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.

oxycodone

Using oxycodone for a long time during pregnancy can cause withdrawal symptoms in the baby after birth. Talk to your doctor about the risks if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Oxycodone is not recommended during labor, as it can cause breathing problems in the newborn.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This mirtazapine vs oxycodone Comparison

mirtazapine is classified in the Noradrenergic and Specific Serotonergic Antidepressant (NaSSA) drug class, while oxycodone sits within the Opioid Analgesic 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 oxycodone has 108,821. 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 taking these together can cause too much serotonin to build up in your 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 oxycodone.

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