Venlafaxine vs Desvenlafaxine: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Venlafaxine | Desvenlafaxine | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | – |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 131,548 | 26,837 |
| Serious | 74% | 43% |
| Death outcome | 13,161 | 841 |
| Boxed warning | Yes WARNING: SUICIDALITY AND ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children | Yes SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults in short-term st |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Venlafaxine | Desvenlafaxine | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Withdrawal syndrome | 2,166 · PRR 8.6 | 735 · PRR 13.8 | Labeled adverse reaction / Not in label — unassessed |
| Serotonin syndrome | 2,520 · PRR 24.1 | 244 · PRR 10.1 | Labeled — boxed warning / Labeled — boxed warning |
| Electric shock sensation | 251 · PRR 16.3 | 57 · PRR 16.9 | Labeled adverse reaction / Labeled adverse reaction |
| Anorgasmia | 158 · PRR 9.8 | 47 · PRR 13.7 | Labeled adverse reaction / Labeled adverse reaction |
| Hostility | 154 · PRR 10.1 | 47 · PRR 14.5 | Labeled adverse reaction / Labeled adverse reaction |
| Negative thoughts | 173 · PRR 9.9 | 62 · PRR 16.8 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Feelings of worthlessness | 184 · PRR 25.8 | 47 · PRR 28.9 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Feeling guilty | 158 · PRR 21.4 | 42 · PRR 25.5 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Bezoar | 113 · PRR 14.2 | 25 · PRR 14.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Venlafaxine
- Suicide attempt — n=3,232, PRR 8.9 Labeled — boxed warning
- Major depression — n=745, PRR 18.0 Labeled (related wording)
- Mydriasis — n=682, PRR 8.9 Labeled adverse reaction
- Hyperreflexia — n=245, PRR 11.9 Labeled adverse reaction
- Homicidal ideation — n=235, PRR 9.7 Labeled adverse reaction
- Hypomania — n=196, PRR 8.9 Labeled — boxed warning
- Clonus — n=164, PRR 10.1 Labeled adverse reaction
- Selective eating disorder — n=127, PRR 25.7 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Desvenlafaxine
- Bruxism — n=70, PRR 10.3 Labeled adverse reaction
- Tension — n=68, PRR 8.8 Labeled — boxed warning
- Yawning — n=42, PRR 12.4 Labeled adverse reaction
- Orgasm abnormal — n=17, PRR 16.8 Labeled adverse reaction
- Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — n=16, PRR 9.6 Labeled (related wording)
- Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome — n=10, PRR 44.0 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Venlafaxine or Desvenlafaxine?
Venlafaxine has 131,548 FAERS reports and Desvenlafaxine 26,837. 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 (74% vs 43%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Venlafaxine and Desvenlafaxine share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for withdrawal syndrome, serotonin syndrome, electric shock sensation, anorgasmia, hostility. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Venlafaxine or Desvenlafaxine 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.