Gabapentin vs Clonazepam: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Gabapentin | Clonazepam | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | Benzodiazepine |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 362,501 | 159,258 |
| Serious | 63% | 68% |
| Death outcome | 34,219 | 18,605 |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION; and DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids ma |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Gabapentin | Clonazepam | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep apnoea syndrome | 1,593 · PRR 5.2 | 1,048 · PRR 7.6 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Pre-existing condition improved | 630 · PRR 6.3 | 427 · PRR 9.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Diabetic neuropathy | 705 · PRR 9.4 | 273 · PRR 7.6 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Gabapentin
- Infusion site pain — n=1,220, PRR 6.0 Labeled (related wording)
- Infusion site erythema — n=754, PRR 5.7 Labeled (related wording)
- Infusion site swelling — n=569, PRR 5.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Suspected suicide — n=441, PRR 5.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Infusion site infection — n=232, PRR 6.5 Labeled (related wording)
- Accidental death — n=229, PRR 8.0 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Clonazepam
- Rhinitis allergic — n=479, PRR 15.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Substance use disorder — n=301, PRR 14.2 Labeled adverse reaction
- Depression suicidal — n=229, PRR 9.3 Labeled (related wording)
- Depressive symptom — n=219, PRR 8.7 Labeled adverse reaction
- Hostility — n=144, PRR 7.8 Labeled adverse reaction
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Gabapentin or Clonazepam?
Gabapentin has 362,501 FAERS reports and Clonazepam 159,258. 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 (63% vs 68%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Gabapentin and Clonazepam share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for sleep apnoea syndrome, pre-existing condition improved, diabetic neuropathy. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Gabapentin or Clonazepam 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.