Prescription medication · Atypical Antipsychotic
ziprasidone
Also sold as Geodon. Ziprasidone treats schizophrenia in adults.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 17,328
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- 18
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- 99% less
- Generic vs brandHuge savings
- $23.92
- Brand price (NADAC)
What the data shows
ziprasidone (Geodon) is a prescription Atypical Antipsychotic, reported at a middle-of-the-pack volume (17,328 FDA reports), whose generic costs a fraction of the brand (about 99% less).
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.
ziprasidone (Geodon) is a prescription Atypical Antipsychotic. Ziprasidone treats schizophrenia in adults.
Ziprasidone is a medicine used to treat mental disorders. It helps to balance chemicals in the brain to improve mood and behavior.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$23.92/unit
Generic Price
$0.23/unit
Generic Savings
99%
Generic Available
Yes (8 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Ziprasidone treats schizophrenia in adults.
Common side effects
Feeling sleepy, Respiratory tract infection, Extrapyramidal symptoms (movement problems)
Key warnings
This medicine may increase the risk of death in elderly patients who have psychosis related to dementia.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from ziprasidone's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Ziprasidone is an atypical antipsychotic. It works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain, like dopamine and serotonin. By balancing these chemicals, it helps to reduce symptoms of mental illness.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 17,328 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for ziprasidone, by number of reports
- Weight Increased
Weight Increased
1,176 reports
- Diabetes Mellitus
Diabetes Mellitus
1,003 reports
- Anxiety
Anxiety
875 reports
- Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
859 reports
- Insomnia
Insomnia
801 reports
- Depression
Depression
782 reports
- Somnolence
Somnolence
744 reports
- Fatigue
Fatigue
719 reports
- Tardive Dyskinesia
Tardive Dyskinesia
700 reports
- Tremor
Tremor
686 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 ziprasidone 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 ziprasidone sits
ziprasidone has more FDA adverse-event reports than 52% 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 ziprasidone; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 17,328 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
17,328
Reports Mentioning Death
1,171
6.8% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
4,189
Top Indication
Bipolar Disorder
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | WEIGHT INCREASED | 1,176 |
| 3 | DIABETES MELLITUS | 1,003 |
| 4 | ANXIETY | 875 |
| 5 | TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS | 859 |
| 6 | INSOMNIA | 801 |
| 7 | DEPRESSION | 782 |
| 8 | SOMNOLENCE | 744 |
| 9 | FATIGUE | 719 |
| 10 | TARDIVE DYSKINESIA | 700 |
| 11 | TREMOR | 686 |
| 12 | NAUSEA | 673 |
| 13 | DIZZINESS | 587 |
| 14 | FEELING ABNORMAL | 587 |
| 15 | SUICIDAL IDEATION | 568 |
| 16 | HEADACHE | 554 |
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
This medicine may increase the risk of death in elderly patients who have psychosis related to dementia. Ziprasidone is not approved to treat dementia-related psychosis. Talk to your doctor about the risks if you are an elderly patient with dementia.
Known Drug Interactions
Risk of serotonin syndrome with concomitant therapy with other serotonergic drugs such as SNRIs, SSRIs, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, opioids, lithium, tryptophan, buspirone, amphetamines, and St.
Mechanism: Both of these drugs increase a chemical in the brain called serotonin. Having too much serotonin can lead to a dangerous condition called serotonin syndrome.
Risk of serotonin syndrome with concomitant therapy with other serotonergic drugs such as SNRIs, SSRIs, triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, opioids, lithium, tryptophan, buspirone, amphetamines, and St. 7.5 Lithium Ziprasidone at a dose of 40 mg twice daily administered concomitantly with lithium at a dose of 450 mg twice daily for 7 days did not affect the steady-state level or renal clearance of lithium. Ziprasidone dosed adjunctively to lithium in a maintenance trial of bipolar patients did not affect mean therapeutic lithium levels.
Mechanism: These drugs can both raise serotonin levels in the body. When used together, they may cause a serious reaction called serotonin syndrome.
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.
Ziprasidone at a dose of 20 mg twice daily did not affect the pharmacokinetics of concomitantly administered oral contraceptives, ethinyl estradiol (0.03 mg) and levonorgestrel (0.15 mg).
Mechanism: Ziprasidone does not change the way the body breaks down or removes estradiol from the system. This means the levels of the hormone in your blood stay the same.
7.9 Other Concomitant Drug Therapy Population pharmacokinetic analysis of schizophrenic patients enrolled in controlled clinical trials has not revealed evidence of any clinically significant pharmacokinetic interactions with benztropine, propranolol, or lorazepam.
Mechanism: Studies of patients show that these two drugs do not have a significant effect on how the body handles either medication. They do not change each other's levels in the body.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I take ziprasidone without food?
What should I do if I feel worse after starting ziprasidone?
Can I drive while taking ziprasidone?
How long does it take for ziprasidone to start working?
Can I stop taking ziprasidone suddenly?
Does ziprasidone interact with other medications?
What if I experience side effects?
Can ziprasidone cause weight gain?
Is ziprasidone addictive?
What should I avoid while taking ziprasidone?
What are the common side effects of ziprasidone?
Does ziprasidone interact with other medications?
What drug class is ziprasidone?
Is there a generic version of ziprasidone?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for ziprasidone?
Related Medications in Atypical Antipsychotic
Other drugs grouped near ziprasidone - 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 ziprasidone →
alprazolam
Xanax
Alprazolam (Xanax) is a medication that can help you with anxiety and panic disorders.
Compare with ziprasidone →
amitriptyline
Elavil
Amitriptyline is a medicine used to treat depression.
Compare with ziprasidone →
amphetamine/dextroamphetamine
Adderall, Adderall XR
Adderall XR is a stimulant medicine.
Compare with ziprasidone →
aripiprazole
Abilify
Aripiprazole (Abilify) is a medicine used to treat certain mental disorders and mood problems.
Compare with ziprasidone →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for ziprasidone: 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: 17,328.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 6.76%.
- anastrozole Δ 0.02 pts · 35,161 reports · Aromatase Inhibitor 6.78%death share
- buspirone Δ 0.03 pts · 10,228 reports · Azapirone Anxiolytic 6.79%death share
- oxcarbazepine Δ 0.03 pts · 31,347 reports · Anticonvulsant 6.73%death share
- raloxifene Δ 0.05 pts · 2,311 reports · Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM) 6.71%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 ziprasidone
The FDA label for ziprasidone (sold under brand names such as Geodon) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Atypical Antipsychotic class. Ziprasidone treats schizophrenia in adults. Official labeling lists 8 commonly reported side effects, including Feeling sleepy, Respiratory tract infection, Extrapyramidal symptoms (movement problems).
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 17,328 voluntary reports. The database also lists 18 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.23 versus $23.92 for the brand - a 99% generic savings.
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: April 5, 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