theophylline vs tiagabine
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Side-by-side comparison of theophylline and tiagabine. 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
Theophylline: A single 10 mg dose of tiagabine did not affect the pharmacokinetics of theophylline at steady state.
Theo-24, Elixophyllin
Gabitril
Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.
Tiagabine is a medicine used with other medicines to treat partial seizures. It helps to control seizures by affecting certain chemicals in the brain.
Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.
Tiagabine is used to treat partial seizures in adults and children 12 years and older. It is used along with other seizure medicines. Partial seizures affect only one part of the brain.
Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.
Tiagabine works by increasing the amount of a chemical called GABA in the brain. GABA helps to calm the brain and reduce seizures. Tiagabine blocks the reuptake of GABA, which means more GABA is available in the brain.
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
- • Dizziness
- • Lack of energy
- • Sleepiness
- • Nausea
- • Nervousness or irritability
- Dyspnoea 2,273
- Asthma 1,942
- Pneumonia 1,318
- Wheezing 1,306
- Vomiting 1,101
- Encephalopathy 16
- Myoclonus 14
- Dizziness 6
- Feeling Abnormal 5
- Seizure 5
If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.
This medicine may cause serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if you have any changes in mood or behavior, or any suicidal thoughts.
It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if tiagabine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking tiagabine during pregnancy.
How to Read This theophylline vs tiagabine Comparison
theophylline is classified in the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator drug class, while tiagabine sits within the Anticonvulsant (GABA Reuptake Inhibitor) 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, theophylline has 7,940 submissions while tiagabine has 46. 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 tiagabine does not change how the body breaks down or handles theophylline.. 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 theophylline or tiagabine.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.