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pimozide vs voriconazole

Side-by-side comparison of pimozide and voriconazole. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

major Known Drug Interaction

Pimozide, Quinidine, Ivabradine (CYP3A4 Inhibition) Not Studied In Vivo or In Vitro , but Drug Plasma Exposure Likely to be Increased Contraindicated because of potential for QT prolongation and rare occurrence of torsade de pointes.

Recommendation: Do not take these medications together because of the risk to your heart. Your doctor must prescribe a different treatment plan.

Drug Class
pimozide Typical Antipsychotic
voriconazole Azole Antifungal
Type
pimozide Prescription
voriconazole Prescription
Summary
pimozide

Pimozide (Orap) is a medicine that helps control tics in people with Tourette's Disorder. It works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain.

voriconazole

Voriconazole (Vfend) is an antifungal medicine. It is used to treat serious fungal infections in adults and children 2 years and older.

What It Treats
pimozide

Pimozide is used to treat motor and phonic tics in people with Tourette's Disorder. It is for people who have not had success with other treatments. This medicine is not for tics that are mild or just annoying. It is meant for people whose tics greatly affect their daily life.

voriconazole

This medicine treats several types of fungal infections. It is used for invasive aspergillosis, a lung infection. It also treats candidemia (a blood infection) and other Candida infections in the skin, abdomen, kidney, bladder, and wounds. Voriconazole can also treat esophageal candidiasis (a throat infection) and serious infections caused by Scedosporium and Fusarium fungi.

How It Works
pimozide

Pimozide belongs to a class of drugs called antipsychotics. It works by blocking dopamine, a chemical in the brain. By blocking dopamine, pimozide helps to reduce tics.

voriconazole

Voriconazole belongs to a class of drugs called azole antifungals. It works by stopping the growth of fungi. It does this by interfering with the production of the fungal cell membrane.

Common Side Effects
pimozide
  • Parkinson-like symptoms (tremors, stiffness)
  • Restlessness
  • Muscle stiffness
  • Drowsiness
voriconazole
  • Visual disturbances
  • Fever
  • Nausea
  • Rash
  • Vomiting
FAERS Reports
pimozide
  • Interaction with another medicine 76
  • Parkinson-like symptoms 42
  • Weight gain 37
  • Sleepiness 33
  • Low blood pressure 29
voriconazole
  • The medicine is interacting with another medicine 2,315
  • Death 1,460
  • Fever 1,411
  • Lung infection 1,322
  • The condition is getting worse 1,093
Serious Warnings
pimozide

Pimozide can cause changes in your heart rhythm (QT prolongation). This can lead to serious heart problems. You should have an ECG (heart test) before starting pimozide and regularly during treatment. Do not take pimozide with other medicines that can also affect your heart rhythm.

voriconazole

Voriconazole can cause serious liver problems. Your doctor will check your liver function with blood tests before and during treatment. This medicine can also cause heart rhythm problems. Make sure your potassium, magnesium, and calcium levels are normal before starting. Voriconazole can also cause severe skin reactions and make you sensitive to sunlight. Avoid sunlight and wear protective clothing. This medicine can harm an unborn baby, so women who can get pregnant should use effective birth control.

Pregnancy
pimozide

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if pimozide will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking pimozide during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

voriconazole

Voriconazole can cause harm to an unborn baby. If you are pregnant or could become pregnant, talk to your doctor. It is not known if voriconazole passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of breastfeeding while taking this medicine.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This pimozide vs voriconazole Comparison

pimozide is classified in the Typical Antipsychotic drug class, while voriconazole sits within the Azole Antifungal 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, pimozide has 217 submissions while voriconazole has 7,601. 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 major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to voriconazole prevents your body from breaking down pimozide, which can lead to very high levels of the drug in your blood. this can cause dangerous and potentially fatal heart rhythm problems.. 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 pimozide and voriconazole - 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.