aliskiren vs irbesartan

According to this portal's Publishing Organization, this page was last reviewed in August 2026 against our methodology. Figures and extracts on this site, including tables above 1,000 rows when the corpus is that large, are the publisher's responsibility.

Side-by-side comparison of aliskiren and irbesartan. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

major Known Drug Interaction

7.4 Dual Blockade of the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) Dual blockade of the RAS with angiotensin receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, or aliskiren is associated with increased risks of hypotension, hyperkalemia, and changes in renal function (including acute renal failure) compared to monotherapy. Do not coadminister aliskiren with irbesartan tablets in patients with diabetes. Avoid use of aliskiren with irbesartan tablets in patients with renal impairment (GFR <60 mL/min).

Drug Class
aliskiren Direct Renin Inhibitor
irbesartan Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB)
Type
aliskiren Prescription
irbesartan Prescription
Summary
aliskiren

Tekturna is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure. It helps lower blood pressure, which can reduce the risk of strokes and heart attacks.

irbesartan

Irbesartan is a medicine that lowers blood pressure. It belongs to a class of drugs called angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs).

What It Treats
aliskiren

Tekturna is used to treat high blood pressure in adults and children who weigh at least 110 pounds and are 6 years or older. Lowering your blood pressure helps prevent strokes and heart attacks. It is important to manage high blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle too.

irbesartan

Irbesartan is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of strokes and heart attacks. It is also used to treat kidney problems caused by diabetes in people with high blood pressure.

How It Works
aliskiren

Tekturna works by blocking a substance in your body called renin. Renin helps to control your blood pressure. By blocking renin, Tekturna helps to lower your blood pressure.

irbesartan

Irbesartan blocks a substance in your body that tightens blood vessels. This helps blood vessels relax and widens them, which lowers blood pressure. It also helps protect the kidneys in people with diabetes.

Common Side Effects
aliskiren
  • Diarrhea
irbesartan
  • Diarrhea
  • Heartburn
  • Tiredness
  • Increased potassium levels
  • Dizziness
FAERS Reports
aliskiren
  • Asthenia 367
  • Fall 356
  • Nausea 336
  • Dyspnoea 315
  • Headache 301
irbesartan
  • Fatigue 2,460
  • Nausea 2,420
  • Diarrhoea 2,261
  • Acute Kidney Injury 2,054
  • Dizziness 1,985
Serious Warnings
aliskiren

Tekturna can harm your unborn baby, even causing death. If you become pregnant, stop taking Tekturna right away and tell your doctor.

irbesartan

Irbesartan can harm your unborn baby. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, tell your doctor right away. Stop taking irbesartan as soon as you know you are pregnant.

Pregnancy
aliskiren

Tekturna can cause serious harm or death to an unborn baby. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about other blood pressure medicines. Breastfeeding is not recommended while taking Tekturna.

irbesartan

Irbesartan can cause serious harm or death to an unborn baby. Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding, as this medication may not be safe for your baby.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This aliskiren vs irbesartan Comparison

aliskiren is classified in the Direct Renin Inhibitor drug class, while irbesartan sits within the Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker (ARB) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, aliskiren has 1,675 submissions while irbesartan has 11,180. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known major interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to these drugs both work on the same system in the body, which can lead to dangerously low blood pressure or kidney failure.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for aliskiren or irbesartan.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.