Two medicines, side by side
Atenolol vs olmesartan
Atenolol and olmesartan are both labeled for high blood pressure. Drugs@FDA records approvals of atenolol since 1981 and of olmesartan since 2002. Pharmacies paid $0.0217 per atenolol 25 mg tablet and $0.0805 per olmesartan medoxomil 20 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, atenolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker and olmesartan an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker.
Check it at the source: the atenolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 18, 2025); the olmesartan FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 23, 2025).
Highlights of the atenolol record
Atenolol (Tenormin) · label of September 18, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsHypertension TENORMIN is indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure lowers the risk of fatal and non-fatal 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 atenolol. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 19, 1981
- Generic labelers
- 35 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0217 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 4
Highlights of the olmesartan record
Olmesartan (Benicar) · label of September 23, 2025
FETAL TOXICITY When pregnancy is detected, discontinue Benicar as soon as possible ( 5.1 , 8.1 ). Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus ( 5.1 , 8.1 ). WARNING: FETAL TOXICITY See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. When pregnancy is detected, discontinue Benicar as soon as possible ( 5.1 , 8.1 ).
Used for
From the label: indicationsBenicar is indicated for the treatment of hypertension in adults and children six years of age and older, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 25, 2002
- Generic labelers
- 30 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0805 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Atenolol label of September 18, 2025, Olmesartan label of September 23, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do atenolol and olmesartan differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, atenolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker and olmesartan an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker.
Half-life, in each label's words: Atenolol, “The elimination half-life of oral TENORMIN is approximately 6 to 7 hours, and there is no alteration of the kinetic …”; Olmesartan, “Olmesartan appears to be eliminated in a biphasic manner with a terminal elimination half-life of approximately 13 …”
Only the olmesartan label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: atenolol since 1988; olmesartan since 2016 (Drugs@FDA).
| Atenolol | Olmesartan | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure, Angina, Heart attack and coronary artery disease | High blood pressure |
| Pharmacologic class | beta-Adrenergic Blocker | Angiotensin 2 Receptor Blocker |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Angiotensin II is formed from angiotensin I in a reaction catalyzed by angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, kininase II). |
| Half-life (label) | The elimination half-life of oral TENORMIN is approximately 6 to 7 hours, and there is no alteration of the kinetic profile of the drug by chronic administration. | Olmesartan appears to be eliminated in a biphasic manner with a terminal elimination half-life of approximately 13 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | August 19, 1981 | April 25, 2002 |
| First generic approved | July 15, 1988 | October 26, 2016 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 35 labelers | 30 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0217 per tablet (Atenolol 25 mg tablet) | $0.0805 per tablet (Olmesartan medoxomil 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -3% | +1% |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 4 | 2 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 132,491 | 35,743 |
| 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 atenolol
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions