Prescription medication · VMAT2 Inhibitor
tetrabenazine
Also sold as Xenazine. Tetrabenazine is used to treat chorea, which are the involuntary, jerky movements that happen with Huntington's disease.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 7,235
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 16
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- $1.97
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
tetrabenazine (Xenazine) is a prescription VMAT2 Inhibitor, reported less often than most tracked drugs (7,235 FDA reports), with 16 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.
tetrabenazine (Xenazine) is a prescription VMAT2 Inhibitor. Tetrabenazine is used to treat chorea, which are the involuntary, jerky movements that happen with Huntington's disease.
Tetrabenazine is a medicine used to treat chorea (uncontrollable movements) caused by Huntington's disease. It helps to reduce these movements.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$1.97/unit
Generic Available
Yes (8 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Tetrabenazine is used to treat chorea, which are the involuntary, jerky movements that happen with Huntington's disease.
Common side effects
Feeling sleepy or drowsy, Feeling tired, Trouble sleeping
Key warnings
Tetrabenazine can increase the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts in people with Huntington's disease.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from tetrabenazine's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Tetrabenazine works by affecting a substance in the brain that moves other chemicals. It lowers the amount of certain chemicals, like dopamine, in the brain. This helps to control the involuntary movements (chorea) caused by Huntington's disease.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 7,235 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for tetrabenazine, by number of reports
- Death
Death
1,216 reports
- Depression 474
Depression
474 reports
- Somnolence 451
Somnolence
451 reports
- Fatigue 360
Fatigue
360 reports
- Fall 314
Fall
314 reports
- Hospitalisation 296
Hospitalisation
296 reports
- Insomnia 276
Insomnia
276 reports
- Anxiety 263
Anxiety
263 reports
- Drug Administration Error 241
Drug Administration Error
241 reports
- Condition Aggravated 224
Condition Aggravated
224 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 tetrabenazine 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 tetrabenazine sits
tetrabenazine has more FDA adverse-event reports than 32% 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 tetrabenazine; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 7,235 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
7,235
Reports Mentioning Death
1,527
21.1% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
1,469
Top Indication
Huntington^S Disease
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEATH | 1,216 |
| 4 | DEPRESSION | 474 |
| 5 | SOMNOLENCE | 451 |
| 6 | FATIGUE | 360 |
| 7 | FALL | 314 |
| 8 | HOSPITALISATION | 296 |
| 9 | INSOMNIA | 276 |
| 11 | ANXIETY | 263 |
| 12 | DRUG ADMINISTRATION ERROR | 241 |
| 13 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 224 |
| 14 | DRUG DOSE OMISSION | 224 |
| 15 | DYSKINESIA | 223 |
| 16 | TREMOR | 221 |
| 17 | TREATMENT NONCOMPLIANCE | 195 |
| 18 | PRESCRIBED OVERDOSE | 194 |
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
Tetrabenazine can increase the risk of depression and suicidal thoughts in people with Huntington's disease. If you have thoughts of harming yourself, tell your doctor right away. You should not take this medicine if you are actively suicidal or have untreated depression.
Known Drug Interactions
7.7 Concomitant Deutetrabenazine or Valbenazine Tetrabenazine is contraindicated in patients currently taking deutetrabenazine or valbenazine.
Mechanism: These two drugs are very similar and work in the same way to treat movement disorders. Taking them together can lead to an overdose of the same medicine type and cause severe side effects.
7.7 Concomitant Deutetrabenazine or Valbenazine Tetrabenazine is contraindicated in patients currently taking deutetrabenazine or valbenazine.
Mechanism: These medications are designed to do the same thing in the brain to control body movements. Using both at once increases the risk of dangerous side effects because they have the same target.
7.6 Neuroleptic Drugs The risk for Parkinsonism, NMS, and akathisia may be increased by concomitant use of tetrabenazine and dopamine antagonists or antipsychotics (e.g., chlorpromazine, haloperidol, olanzapine, risperidone, thioridazine, ziprasidone) [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 , 5.5 , 5.6 )] .
Mechanism: Both drugs lower dopamine activity in the brain, which can cause stiff muscles, tremors, or a dangerous fever.
7.6 Neuroleptic Drugs The risk for Parkinsonism, NMS, and akathisia may be increased by concomitant use of tetrabenazine and dopamine antagonists or antipsychotics (e.g., chlorpromazine, haloperidol, olanzapine, risperidone, thioridazine, ziprasidone) [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 , 5.5 , 5.6 )] .
Mechanism: These medications both block dopamine, which can lead to movement disorders like tremors or a life-threatening reaction.
7.5 Drugs That Cause QTc Prolongation Tetrabenazine causes a small prolongation of QTc (about 8 msec), concomitant use with other drugs that are known to cause QTc prolongation should be avoided, these including antipsychotic medications (e.g., chlorpromazine, haloperidol, thioridazine, ziprasidone), antibiotics (e.g., moxifloxacin), Class 1A (e.g., quinidine, procainamide) and Class III (e.g., amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmic medications or any other medications known to prolong the QTc interval. 7.6 Neuroleptic Drugs The risk for Parkinsonism, NMS, and akathisia may be increased by...
Mechanism: Both drugs can cause a dangerous change in the heart's rhythm and increase the risk of serious movement problems.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I stop taking this medicine suddenly?
Will this medicine cure my Huntington's disease?
Can I drink alcohol while taking this medicine?
What should I do if I feel worse after starting this medicine?
Can I drive while taking this medicine?
What if I take too much?
Are there foods I should avoid?
How long does it take for this medicine to work?
Can this medicine cause other movement problems?
Will this medicine interact with other medications I'm taking?
What are the common side effects of tetrabenazine?
Does tetrabenazine interact with other medications?
What drug class is tetrabenazine?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for tetrabenazine?
Related Medications in VMAT2 Inhibitor
Other drugs grouped near tetrabenazine - same-class peers and common alternatives.
acamprosate
Campral
Acamprosate is a medicine that can help you stay away from alcohol if you are alcohol-dependent and have already stopped drinking.
Compare with tetrabenazine →
alprazolam
Xanax
Alprazolam (Xanax) is a medication that can help you with anxiety and panic disorders.
Compare with tetrabenazine →
amitriptyline
Elavil
Amitriptyline is a medicine used to treat depression.
Compare with tetrabenazine →
amphetamine/dextroamphetamine
Adderall, Adderall XR
Adderall XR is a stimulant medicine.
Compare with tetrabenazine →
aripiprazole
Abilify
Aripiprazole (Abilify) is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders and mood problems.
Compare with tetrabenazine →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for tetrabenazine: 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: 7,235.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 21.11%.
- carisoprodol Δ 0.10 pts · 18,851 reports · Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxant 21.20%death share
- dronabinol Δ 0.14 pts · 7,819 reports · Cannabinoid Antiemetic 20.96%death share
- isavuconazonium Δ 0.17 pts · 3,219 reports · Azole Antifungal 20.94%death share
- pyridoxine Δ 0.56 pts · 2,439 reports · Vitamin B6 Supplement 20.54%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
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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 tetrabenazine
The FDA label for tetrabenazine (sold under brand names such as Xenazine) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the VMAT2 Inhibitor class. Tetrabenazine is used to treat chorea, which are the involuntary, jerky movements that happen with Huntington's disease. Official labeling lists 7 commonly reported side effects, including Feeling sleepy or drowsy, Feeling tired, Trouble sleeping.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 7,235 voluntary reports. The database also lists 16 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $1.97.
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: July 24, 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