Two medicines, side by side
Adenosine vs carvedilol
Adenosine has no indication this site maps; carvedilol for heart failure and high blood pressure. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of adenosine since 1989 and of carvedilol since 1995. In FDA's classes, adenosine is an adenosine receptor agonist and carvedilol an alpha-adrenergic blocker.
Check it at the source: the adenosine FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 14, 2025); the carvedilol FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 31, 2026).
Highlights of the adenosine record
Adenosine (Adenocard) · label of April 14, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsAdenosine injection is indicated as an adjunct to thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in patients unable to exercise adequately. Adenosine injection, a pharmacologic stress agent, is indicated as an adjunct to thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in patients unable to exercise adequately
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 30, 1989
- Generic labelers
- 13 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
Highlights of the carvedilol record
Carvedilol (Coreg) · label of July 31, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsINDICATIONS AND USAGE COREG is an alpha-/beta-adrenergic blocking agent indicated for the treatment of: mild to severe chronic heart failure ( 1.1 ) left ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction in clinically stable patients ( 1.2 ) hypertension ( 1.3 ) 1.1 Heart Failure COREG is indicated for the treatment of mild-to-severe chronic heart failure of ischemic or cardiomyopathic origin, usually in […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 14, 1995
- Generic labelers
- 41 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0179 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 22
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Adenosine label of April 14, 2025, Carvedilol label of July 31, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do adenosine and carvedilol differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, adenosine is an adenosine receptor agonist and carvedilol an alpha-adrenergic blocker.
How each works, in its label's words: Adenosine, “Adenosine is thought to exert its pharmacological effects through activation of purine receptors (cell-surface A 1 and A 2 adenosine receptors).”; Carvedilol, “COREG is a racemic mixture in which nonselective β-adrenoreceptor blocking activity is present in the S(-) enantiomer and α1-adrenergic blocking activity is present in both R(+) and S(-) enantiomers …”
Generics: adenosine since 2004; carvedilol since 2007 (Drugs@FDA).
| Adenosine | Carvedilol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | n/a | Heart failure, High blood pressure |
| Pharmacologic class | Adenosine Receptor Agonist | alpha-Adrenergic Blocker, beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| How it works (label) | Adenosine causes cardiac vasodilation which increases cardiac blood flow. Adenosine is thought to exert its pharmacological effects through activation of purine receptors (cell-surface A 1 and A 2 adenosine receptors). | COREG is a racemic mixture in which nonselective β-adrenoreceptor blocking activity is present in the S(-) enantiomer and α1-adrenergic blocking activity is present in both R(+) and S(-) enantiomers at equal potency. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Following oral administration, the apparent mean terminal elimination half-life of carvedilol generally ranges from 7 to 10 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | October 30, 1989 | September 14, 1995 |
| First generic approved | June 16, 2004 | September 5, 2007 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 13 labelers | 41 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | n/a | $0.0179 per tablet (Carvedilol 6.25 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | n/a | -4% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 2 | 22 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 1,600 | 137,029 |
| 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 next?
- Alternatives to adenosine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions