Alprazolam vs Zolpidem: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Alprazolam | Zolpidem | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | Benzodiazepine | – |
| Brand names | – | Zolpidem Tartrate |
| FAERS reports | 204,870 | 134,336 |
| Serious | 71% | 69% |
| Death outcome | 33,446 | 15,992 |
| Boxed warning | Yes RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION; and DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids ma | Yes COMPLEX SLEEP BEHAVIORS Complex sleep behaviors including sleep-walking, sleep-driving, and engaging in other activities while not fully awake may occur followi |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Alprazolam | Zolpidem | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug use disorder | 951 · PRR 13.2 | 555 · PRR 11.2 | Labeled (related wording) / Labeled (related wording) |
| Multiple drug overdose intentional | 312 · PRR 10.7 | 166 · PRR 8.3 | Labeled (related wording) / Labeled (related wording) |
| Rebound acid hypersecretion | 252 · PRR 9.1 | 217 · PRR 11.8 | Labeled (related wording) / Not in label — unassessed |
| Sopor | 2,105 · PRR 19.0 | 670 · PRR 8.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Poisoning deliberate | 1,439 · PRR 18.6 | 410 · PRR 7.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Nephrogenic anaemia | 450 · PRR 10.8 | 460 · PRR 16.9 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Pre-existing condition improved | 409 · PRR 7.0 | 299 · PRR 7.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Hyperparathyroidism secondary | 242 · PRR 10.7 | 256 · PRR 17.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Bradypnoea | 255 · PRR 10.6 | 114 · PRR 6.9 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Prescription form tampering | 184 · PRR 32.0 | 142 · PRR 35.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Homicide | 155 · PRR 9.5 | 162 · PRR 15.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder | 132 · PRR 14.2 | 127 · PRR 20.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Alprazolam
- Suicide attempt — n=3,736, PRR 6.6 Labeled (related wording)
- Coma — n=2,872, PRR 6.5 Labeled — boxed warning
- Poisoning — n=1,659, PRR 15.4 Labeled adverse reaction
- Bradyphrenia — n=447, PRR 7.4 Labeled adverse reaction
- Suspected suicide — n=325, PRR 7.4 Labeled (related wording)
- Substance use disorder — n=283, PRR 10.3 Labeled adverse reaction
- Anxiety disorder — n=199, PRR 6.4 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Zolpidem
- Amnesia — n=2,881, PRR 7.2 Labeled adverse reaction
- Somnambulism — n=1,494, PRR 45.6 Labeled adverse reaction
- Impaired driving ability — n=624, PRR 9.0 Labeled (related wording)
- Affect lability — n=389, PRR 6.5 Labeled (related wording)
- Sleep walking — n=354, PRR 244.0 Labeled (related wording)
- Personality disorder — n=260, PRR 17.0 Labeled adverse reaction
- Adjustment disorder — n=227, PRR 32.7 Labeled (related wording)
- Drug tolerance — n=225, PRR 7.2 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Alprazolam or Zolpidem?
Alprazolam has 204,870 FAERS reports and Zolpidem 134,336. More reports does not mean more dangerous: volume follows how widely and how long a drug has been used, prescription vs over-the-counter status, and publicity. The seriousness share (71% vs 69%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Alprazolam and Zolpidem share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for drug use disorder, multiple drug overdose intentional, rebound acid hypersecretion, sopor, poisoning deliberate. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Alprazolam or Zolpidem safer?
FAERS cannot answer that: it has no denominator and no comparator. Use this page to see which risks are already on each label and which signals are unlabeled, then check the prescribing information and your clinician for your situation.
Sources: openFDA FAERS pair statistics (OpenPV build 2026-09-14), FDA labels via openFDA, openFDA count queries for seriousness and deaths. Pair chosen because it is a commonly searched comparison. Generated 2026-10-08.