Lorazepam vs Diazepam: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Lorazepam | Diazepam | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | Benzodiazepine | Benzodiazepine |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 178,697 | 120,964 |
| Serious | 77% | 81% |
| Death outcome | 25,768 | 22,961 |
| 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 WARNING: RISKS FROM CONCOMITANT USE WITH OPIOIDS; ABUSE, MISUSE, AND ADDICTION; and DEPENDENCE AND WITHDRAWAL REACTIONS • Concomitant use of benzodiazepines and |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Lorazepam | Diazepam | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sopor | 1,626 · PRR 16.1 | 809 · PRR 11.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Neuroleptic malignant syndrome | 1,315 · PRR 14.5 | 807 · PRR 12.6 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Lorazepam
- Drug tolerance decreased — n=250, PRR 11.4 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Diazepam
- Coma — n=3,231, PRR 12.5 Labeled — boxed warning
- Drug use disorder — n=1,142, PRR 27.6 Labeled (related wording)
- Respiratory depression — n=1,038, PRR 16.0 Labeled — boxed warning
- Substance use disorder — n=790, PRR 59.8 Labeled adverse reaction
- Alcohol interaction — n=127, PRR 12.0 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Lorazepam or Diazepam?
Lorazepam has 178,697 FAERS reports and Diazepam 120,964. 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 81%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Lorazepam and Diazepam share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for sopor, neuroleptic malignant syndrome. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Lorazepam or Diazepam 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.