Prescription medication · Anticonvulsant (SV2A Ligand)
brivaracetam
Also sold as Briviact. Brivaracetam is used to treat partial-onset seizures.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 4,286
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 4
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $22.93
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
brivaracetam (Briviact) is a prescription Anticonvulsant (SV2A Ligand), among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (4,286 FDA reports), with 4 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
brivaracetam (Briviact) is a prescription Anticonvulsant (SV2A Ligand). Brivaracetam is used to treat partial-onset seizures.
Brivaracetam is a medicine used to treat partial-onset seizures. It helps to reduce the number of seizures you have.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$22.93/unit
Generic Available
Yes (13 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Brivaracetam is used to treat partial-onset seizures.
Common side effects
Feeling sleepy or tired, Dizziness, Fatigue
Key warnings
Brivaracetam can cause suicidal thoughts or actions.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from brivaracetam's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Brivaracetam binds to a protein in the brain called SV2A. This helps to reduce the electrical activity in the brain that causes seizures. It helps to stabilize nerve cells.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 4,286 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for brivaracetam, by number of reports
- Seizure
Seizure
1,810 reports
- Therapy Interrupted 280
Therapy Interrupted
280 reports
- Overdose 233
Overdose
233 reports
- Fatigue 230
Fatigue
230 reports
- Somnolence 216
Somnolence
216 reports
- Dizziness 213
Dizziness
213 reports
- Product Availability Issue 211
Product Availability Issue
211 reports
- Fall 199
Fall
199 reports
- Multiple-Drug Resistance 165
Multiple-Drug Resistance
165 reports
- Generalised Tonic-Clonic Seizure 162
Generalised Tonic-Clonic Seizure
162 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for brivaracetam each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where brivaracetam sits
brivaracetam has more FDA adverse-event reports than 24% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is brivaracetam; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 4,286 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2010–2025.
Total Reports
4,286
Reports Mentioning Death
236
5.5% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
1,362
Top Indication
Seizure
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | SEIZURE | 1,810 |
| 4 | THERAPY INTERRUPTED | 280 |
| 5 | OVERDOSE | 233 |
| 6 | FATIGUE | 230 |
| 7 | SOMNOLENCE | 216 |
| 8 | DIZZINESS | 213 |
| 9 | PRODUCT AVAILABILITY ISSUE | 211 |
| 10 | FALL | 199 |
| 12 | MULTIPLE-DRUG RESISTANCE | 165 |
| 13 | GENERALISED TONIC-CLONIC SEIZURE | 162 |
| 14 | EPILEPSY | 151 |
| 15 | AGGRESSION | 148 |
| 16 | HEADACHE | 144 |
| 17 | MEMORY IMPAIRMENT | 128 |
| 18 | DEPRESSION | 127 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Brivaracetam can cause suicidal thoughts or actions. Watch for new or worsening depression, suicidal thoughts or behavior, or unusual changes in mood. Tell your doctor right away if you have any of these symptoms. Do not stop taking brivaracetam suddenly, as this may increase your risk of seizures.
Known Drug Interactions
(7.3) Levetiracetam: Brivaracetam had no added therapeutic benefit when co-administered with levetiracetam. 7.4 Levetiracetam Brivaracetam provided no added therapeutic benefit to levetiracetam when the two drugs were co-administered [see Clinical Studies (14)] .
Mechanism: These two seizure medicines are very similar and work on the same parts of the brain. Taking them both at the same time does not provide any extra help in controlling seizures.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Rifampin: Because of decreased concentrations, increasing brivaracetam dosage in patients on concomitant rifampin is recommended. (7.4) 7.1 Rifampin Co-administration with rifampin decreases brivaracetam plasma concentrations likely because of CYP2C19 induction [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] . Prescribers should increase the brivaracetam dose by up to 100% (i.e., double the dosage) in patients while receiving concomitant treatment with rifampin [see Dosage and Administration (2.6)] .
Mechanism: Rifampin causes your body to break down brivaracetam much faster than normal. This lowers the amount of medicine in your blood, which can make it less effective at preventing seizures.
(7.2) Phenytoin: Because phenytoin concentrations can increase, phenytoin levels should be monitored in patients on concomitant brivaracetam. 7.3 Phenytoin Because brivaracetam can increase plasma concentrations of phenytoin, phenytoin levels should be monitored in patients when concomitant brivaracetam is added to or discontinued from ongoing phenytoin therapy [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)] .
Mechanism: Brivaracetam can cause the levels of phenytoin in your blood to rise. This happens because brivaracetam interferes with how your body processes and removes phenytoin.
Accordingly, the dosage of carbamazepine should be adjusted and/or the plasma levels monitored when used concomitantly with loxapine, quetiapine, valproic acid, or brivaracetam.
Mechanism: Taking these two drugs together can change the amount of carbamazepine in your blood, which might affect how well the medicine works.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I drive while taking brivaracetam?
What should I do if I have side effects?
Can I take brivaracetam with other medicines?
How often will I see the doctor while taking brivaracetam?
What if I have liver problems?
Can children take brivaracetam?
What if I am breastfeeding?
Can I stop taking brivaracetam suddenly?
What if I accidentally take too much brivaracetam?
Is there a generic version of brivaracetam?
What are the common side effects of brivaracetam?
Does brivaracetam interact with other medications?
What drug class is brivaracetam?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for brivaracetam?
Related Medications in Anticonvulsant (SV2A Ligand)
Other drugs grouped near brivaracetam - same-class peers and common alternatives.
cannabidiol
Epidiolex
Epidiolex is a medicine that contains cannabidiol.
Compare with brivaracetam →
carbamazepine
Tegretol
Carbamazepine is a medicine used to control seizures and treat nerve pain.
Compare with brivaracetam →
cenobamate
Xcopri
Xcopri is a medicine used to treat partial-onset seizures in adults.
Compare with brivaracetam →
clobazam
Onfi, Sympazan
Clobazam oral suspension is a medicine used with other medicines to treat seizures caused by Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Compare with brivaracetam →
clonazepam
Klonopin
Clonazepam is a medicine that belongs to the benzodiazepine class.
Compare with brivaracetam →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for brivaracetam: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 4,286.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 5.51%.
- ustekinumab Δ 0.02 pts · 98,899 reports · Anti-IL-12/23 Monoclonal Antibody 5.53%death share
- sulindac Δ 0.04 pts · 2,380 reports · Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID) 5.55%death share
- aripiprazole Δ 0.05 pts · 118,365 reports · Atypical Antipsychotic 5.56%death share
- brexpiprazole Δ 0.07 pts · 15,755 reports · Atypical Antipsychotic 5.43%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for brivaracetam
The FDA label for brivaracetam (sold under brand names such as Briviact) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Anticonvulsant (SV2A Ligand) class. Brivaracetam is used to treat partial-onset seizures. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Feeling sleepy or tired, Dizziness, Fatigue.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 4,286 voluntary reports. The database also lists 4 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: November 15, 2025
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages