Prescription medication · Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitor (SARI)
trazodone
Also sold as Desyrel. Trazodone is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 15,113
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- 40
- InteractionsMany interactions
- 2
- Recall records
What the data shows
trazodone (Desyrel) is a prescription Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitor (SARI), reported less often than most tracked drugs (15,113 FDA reports), with 40 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.
trazodone (Desyrel) is a prescription Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitor (SARI). Trazodone is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.
Trazodone is a medicine used to treat depression. It helps to improve your mood and can help you sleep better.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.05/unit
Generic Available
Yes (14 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
NADAC price trail: TRAZODONE 100 MG TABLET
Same CMS presentation as the headline generic unit price above (3 effective dates). Adjacent % compares consecutive NADAC releases for this description only, not a patient out-of-pocket quote. Latest step: -12.9% vs prior release.
| Effective | NADAC / unit | vs prior | NDCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 21, 2024 | $0.0605/EA | - | 1 |
| October 23, 2024 | $0.0600/EA | -0.8% | 1 |
| December 18, 2024 | $0.0522/EA | -12.9% | 17 |
What it does
Trazodone is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults.
Common side effects
Swelling, Blurred vision, Fainting
Key warnings
Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from trazodone's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Trazodone is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It works by increasing the amount of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a chemical that helps regulate mood.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 15,113 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for trazodone, by number of reports
- Fatigue
Fatigue
1,129 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
1,097 reports
- Headache
Headache
909 reports
- Pain
Pain
808 reports
- Diarrhoea
Diarrhoea
793 reports
- Vomiting
Vomiting
676 reports
- Insomnia
Insomnia
673 reports
- Depression
Depression
656 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
623 reports
- Dizziness
Dizziness
599 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 trazodone 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 trazodone sits
trazodone has more FDA adverse-event reports than 48% 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 trazodone; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 15,113 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
15,113
Reports Mentioning Death
1,538
10.2% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
5,063
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | FATIGUE | 1,129 |
| 3 | NAUSEA | 1,097 |
| 4 | HEADACHE | 909 |
| 5 | PAIN | 808 |
| 6 | DIARRHOEA | 793 |
| 8 | VOMITING | 676 |
| 9 | INSOMNIA | 673 |
| 10 | DEPRESSION | 656 |
| 11 | DYSPNOEA | 623 |
| 12 | DIZZINESS | 599 |
| 13 | FALL | 591 |
| 14 | ASTHENIA | 519 |
| 15 | ANXIETY | 512 |
| 16 | ARTHRALGIA | 472 |
| 17 | DEATH | 454 |
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
Antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young adults. Your doctor will monitor you closely for worsening depression or suicidal thoughts. Trazodone is not approved for use in children.
Known Drug Interactions
Intervention: Trazodone is contraindicated in patients taking MAOIs, including MAOIs such as linezolid or intravenous methylene blue [see Contraindications (4), Dosage and Administration (2.3, 2.4), and Warnings and Precautions (5.2)].
Mechanism: Linezolid acts like a special type of medicine that can cause a dangerous buildup of a brain chemical called serotonin when mixed with trazodone. This can lead to a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.
NSAIDs, Aspirin, or Other Drugs Affecting Coagulation or Bleeding Due to a possible association between serotonin modulating drugs and gastrointestinal bleeding, patients should be monitored for and cautioned about the potential risk of bleeding associated with the concomitant use of trazodone and NSAIDs, aspirin, or other drugs that affect coagulation or bleeding [s ee Warnings and Precautions ( 5.7 ) ].
Mechanism: Both drugs can interfere with how your blood clots, which makes it easier for you to bleed or bruise.
Examples: isocarboxazid, moclobemide, phenelzine, selegiline, tranylcypromine Other Serotonergic Drugs Clinical Impact: The concomitant use of serotonergic drugs including trazodone and other serotonergic drugs increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.
Mechanism: Both of these medications increase the amount of serotonin in your brain, which can lead to a dangerous reaction called serotonin syndrome.
Examples: isocarboxazid, moclobemide, phenelzine, selegiline, tranylcypromine Other Serotonergic Drugs Clinical Impact: The concomitant use of serotonergic drugs including trazodone and other serotonergic drugs increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.
Mechanism: Using these drugs together can cause a harmful buildup of serotonin in your body.
Examples: isocarboxazid, moclobemide, phenelzine, selegiline, tranylcypromine Other Serotonergic Drugs Clinical Impact: The concomitant use of serotonergic drugs including trazodone and other serotonergic drugs increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.
Mechanism: These medications both raise serotonin levels, and taking them at the same time increases the risk of a toxic reaction.
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 trazodone suddenly?
Can I drink alcohol while taking trazodone?
What should I do if I experience a prolonged erection?
Can trazodone affect my ability to drive?
Is it safe to take trazodone with other medications?
How long does it take for trazodone to start working?
What if I feel worse after starting trazodone?
Can trazodone cause weight gain?
Does trazodone interact with grapefruit?
Can I take trazodone if I have glaucoma?
What are the common side effects of trazodone?
Does trazodone interact with other medications?
What drug class is trazodone?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for trazodone?
Has trazodone been recalled?
Active Recalls
Presence of Foreign Tablets/Capsules
Granules Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Failed Tablet/Capsule Specifications: Product complaint received that some tablets had a dent on the plain side of the tablet surface.
Zydus Pharmaceuticals (USA) Inc
Related Medications in Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitor (SARI)
Other drugs grouped near trazodone - 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 trazodone →
alprazolam
Xanax
Alprazolam (Xanax) is a medication that can help you with anxiety and panic disorders.
Compare with trazodone →
amitriptyline
Elavil
Amitriptyline is a medicine used to treat depression.
Compare with trazodone →
amphetamine/dextroamphetamine
Adderall, Adderall XR
Adderall XR is a stimulant medicine.
Compare with trazodone →
aripiprazole
Abilify
Aripiprazole (Abilify) is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders and mood problems.
Compare with trazodone →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for trazodone: 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: 15,113.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 10.18%.
- ciprofloxacin Δ 0.00 pts · 89,398 reports · Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic 10.18%death share
- lubiprostone Δ 0.01 pts · 9,102 reports · Chloride Channel Activator 10.18%death share
- sertraline Δ 0.01 pts · 112,198 reports · Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) 10.19%death share
- pioglitazone Δ 0.07 pts · 42,504 reports · Thiazolidinedione 10.11%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
Save on trazodone
Compare prices and find discounts at pharmacies near you. Free coupons can save up to 80% on prescriptions.
Disclosure: This link may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. See our terms.
What the FDA Data Shows for trazodone
The FDA label for trazodone (sold under brand names such as Desyrel) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Serotonin Antagonist and Reuptake Inhibitor (SARI) class. Trazodone is used to treat major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. Official labeling lists 8 commonly reported side effects, including Swelling, Blurred vision, Fainting.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 15,113 voluntary reports. The database also lists 40 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 $0.05.
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 (currently 2 recall records on file), 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: August 30, 2023
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