Citalopram vs Sertraline: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Citalopram | Sertraline | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | – |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 136,022 | 117,789 |
| Serious | 77% | 64% |
| Death outcome | 18,996 | 8,815 |
| Boxed warning | Yes SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in pediatric and young adult patients in short- term studi | Yes SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in pediatric and young adult patients in short-term studies |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Citalopram | Sertraline | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serotonin syndrome | 1,513 · PRR 13.2 | 941 · PRR 9.2 | Labeled — boxed warning / Labeled — boxed warning |
| Bruxism | 294 · PRR 8.8 | 246 · PRR 8.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Labeled adverse reaction |
| Anorgasmia | 244 · PRR 15.1 | 125 · PRR 8.5 | Labeled adverse reaction / Not in label — unassessed |
| Obsessive-compulsive disorder | 411 · PRR 8.2 | 354 · PRR 8.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Likely indication confounding |
| Psychomotor skills impaired | 172 · PRR 10.7 | 131 · PRR 9.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Psychiatric decompensation | 191 · PRR 16.6 | 92 · PRR 8.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Citalopram
- Electrocardiogram qt prolonged — n=1,712, PRR 7.7 Labeled (related wording)
- Bursitis — n=586, PRR 7.8 Labeled adverse reaction
- Torsade de pointes — n=400, PRR 8.2 Labeled — boxed warning
- Depressive symptom — n=250, PRR 11.7 Labeled (related wording)
- Depression suicidal — n=239, PRR 11.4 Labeled (related wording)
- Hyperreflexia — n=191, PRR 8.8 Labeled adverse reaction
- Long qt syndrome — n=138, PRR 9.3 Labeled — boxed warning
- Atrial tachycardia — n=106, PRR 8.1 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Sertraline
- Psychiatric symptom — n=319, PRR 8.0 Labeled (related wording)
- Tension — n=291, PRR 8.9 Labeled adverse reaction
- Hallucinations, mixed — n=233, PRR 10.4 Labeled (related wording)
- Neuritis — n=94, PRR 11.5 Labeled adverse reaction
- Bipolar i disorder — n=90, PRR 7.6 Labeled (related wording)
- Pulmonary vasculitis — n=84, PRR 33.5 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Citalopram or Sertraline?
Citalopram has 136,022 FAERS reports and Sertraline 117,789. 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 (77% vs 64%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Citalopram and Sertraline share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for serotonin syndrome, bruxism, anorgasmia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychomotor skills impaired. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Citalopram or Sertraline 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.