Two medicines, side by side
Aclidinium vs azilsartan
Aclidinium is labeled for copd; azilsartan for high blood pressure. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of aclidinium since 2012 and of azilsartan since 2011. Pharmacies paid $344.55 per unit (Tudorza pressair 400 mcg inhal) and $5.47 per azilsartan medoxomil 40 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ and one is a brand and one a generic, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, aclidinium is an anticholinergic and azilsartan an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker.
Check it at the source: the aclidinium FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 1, 2022); the azilsartan FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 23, 2024).
Highlights of the aclidinium record
Aclidinium (Tudorza Pressair) · label of August 1, 2022
Used for
From the label: indicationsTUDORZA® PRESSAIR® (aclidinium bromide inhalation powder) is indicated for the maintenance treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). TUDORZA PRESSAIR is an anticholinergic indicated for the maintenance treatment of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- July 23, 2012
- Generic labelers
- none listed
- Pharmacy cost
- $344.55 per unit
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Highlights of the azilsartan record
Azilsartan (Edarbi) · label of January 23, 2024
FETAL TOXICITY When pregnancy is detected, discontinue Edarbi as soon as possible [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Use in Specific Populations (8.1) ]. Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) and Use in Specific Populations (8.1) ]. WARNING: FETAL TOXICITY See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. When pregnancy is detected, discontinue Edarbi as soon as possible.
Used for
From the label: indicationsEdarbi is indicated for the treatment of hypertension in adults, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. These benefits have been seen in controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs from a wide variety of pharmacologic classes, including the class to which this drug principally belongs. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- February 25, 2011
- Generic labelers
- 1 labeler
- Pharmacy cost
- $5.47 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 1
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Aclidinium label of August 1, 2022, Azilsartan label of January 23, 2024); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do aclidinium and azilsartan differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, aclidinium is an anticholinergic and azilsartan an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker.
How each works, in its label's words: Aclidinium, “It has similar affinity to the subtypes of muscarinic receptors M 1 to M 5 .”; Azilsartan, “Angiotensin II is formed from angiotensin I in a reaction catalyzed by angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE, kinase II).”
Half-life, in each label's words: Aclidinium, “After dry powder inhalation, urinary excretion of aclidinium is about 0.09% of the dose and the estimated effective …”; Azilsartan, “The elimination half-life of azilsartan is approximately 11 hours and renal clearance is approximately 2.3 mL/min.”
Only the azilsartan label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: aclidinium none approved; azilsartan since 2022 (Drugs@FDA).
| Aclidinium | Azilsartan | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | COPD | High blood pressure |
| Pharmacologic class | Anticholinergic | Angiotensin 2 Receptor Blocker |
| How it works (label) | Aclidinium bromide is a long-acting antimuscarinic agent, which is often referred to as an anticholinergic. It has similar affinity to the subtypes of muscarinic receptors M 1 to M 5 . | Angiotensin II is formed from angiotensin I in a reaction catalyzed by angiotensin-converting enzymes (ACE, kinase II). |
| Half-life (label) | After dry powder inhalation, urinary excretion of aclidinium is about 0.09% of the dose and the estimated effective half-life is 5 to 8 hours. | The elimination half-life of azilsartan is approximately 11 hours and renal clearance is approximately 2.3 mL/min. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | July 23, 2012 | February 25, 2011 |
| First generic approved | none | July 20, 2022 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | none listed | 1 labeler |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $344.55 per unit (Tudorza pressair 400 mcg inhal) | $5.47 per tablet (Azilsartan medoxomil 40 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | n/a | n/a |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 1 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 6,373 | 2,982 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What do the labels say about using others of their kind?
Aclidinium label, drug interactionsAvoid administrations of TUDORZA PRESSAIR with other anticholinergic-containing drugs.
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to aclidinium
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions