Trazodone vs Mirtazapine: side-by-side comparison
Trazodone (Atypical antidepressant / serotonin modulator) and Mirtazapine (Atypical antidepressant (NaSSA)) belong to different therapeutic classes and are rarely substitutes for each other. The comparison is useful when a single patient is weighing both options for adjacent or overlapping needs.
| Property | Trazodone | Mirtazapine |
|---|---|---|
| Therapeutic class | Atypical antidepressant / serotonin modulator | Atypical antidepressant (NaSSA) |
| CAS | 19794-93-5 | 85650-52-8 |
| ATC | N06AX05 | N06AX11 |
| Molecular weight | 371.86 g/mol | 265.36 g/mol |
| Brands with this active ingredient | 1 | 1 |
What they share
Trazodone and Mirtazapine share the common regulatory framework for prescription active ingredients, bioequivalence standards for generics, and pharmacist oversight. Beyond that, points in common are limited.
Key differences
Trazodone acts by a different mechanism than Mirtazapine, with indications that barely overlap. Comparing the two is useful when a clinician has mentioned both in the same context or the patient wants to understand why one was prescribed instead of the other.
Mechanisms compared
Trazodone: Trazodon wird als Serotonin-Antagonist und Wiederaufnahmehemmer (SARI) klassifiziert. Mirtazapine: Mirtazapin antagonisiert präsynaptische α2-adrenerge Auto- und Heterorezeptoren und steigert so die Freisetzung von Noradrenalin und Serotonin.
Indications compared
Trazodone: Trazodon ist zur Behandlung der Major Depression zugelassen. Mirtazapine: Mirtazapin ist zur Behandlung der schweren depressiven Episode zugelassen.
Safety profile
Trazodone: Häufige Nebenwirkungen sind Sedierung (gewünschter Effekt bei niedrigen Dosen), Mundtrockenheit, Schwindel, orthostatische Hypotonie und Kopfschmerzen. Mirtazapine: Häufige unerwünschte Wirkungen sind Sedierung (am stärksten in niedrigen Dosen 7,5–15 mg, paradoxerweise schwächer in höheren Dosen), gesteigerter Appetit, Gewichtszunahme, Mundtrockenheit und Schwindel.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Is Trazodone better than Mirtazapine? ▾
Trazodone and Mirtazapine are not "better or worse" — they treat different things. The sensible question is which fits your specific need.
Can Trazodone and Mirtazapine be combined? ▾
Whether they can be combined depends on the indications and the interaction profile of each. If both are in a single prescription, the prescriber has weighed it; in self-medication they should never be combined.
Do they have the same side-effect profile? ▾
No — they belong to different classes and have distinct side-effect profiles. Each has its own prescribing information.
Products with Trazodone
Products with Mirtazapine
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