Two medicines, side by side
Atenolol vs telmisartan
Atenolol and telmisartan are both labeled for high blood pressure and heart attack and coronary artery disease. Drugs@FDA records approvals of atenolol since 1981 and of telmisartan since 1998. Pharmacies paid $0.0217 per atenolol 25 mg tablet and $0.106 per telmisartan 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 telmisartan an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker.
Check it at the source: the atenolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 18, 2025); the telmisartan FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 29, 2026).
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 telmisartan record
Telmisartan (Micardis) · label of May 29, 2026
FETAL TOXICITY When pregnancy is detected, discontinue telmisartan 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 warnings.
Used for
From the label: indicationsTelmisartanis an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) indicated for: Treatment of hypertension to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions(1.1) 1.1 Hypertension Telmisartan is indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 10, 1998
- Generic labelers
- 28 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.106 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 3
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Atenolol label of September 18, 2025, Telmisartan label of May 29, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do atenolol and telmisartan differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, atenolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker and telmisartan 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 …”; Telmisartan, “Telmisartan shows bi-exponential decay kinetics with a terminal elimination half-life of approximately 24 hours.”
Only the telmisartan label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: atenolol since 1988; telmisartan since 2014 (Drugs@FDA).
| Atenolol | Telmisartan | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure, Angina, Heart attack and coronary artery disease | High blood pressure, Heart attack and coronary artery disease |
| 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. | Telmisartan shows bi-exponential decay kinetics with a terminal elimination half-life of approximately 24 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | August 19, 1981 | November 10, 1998 |
| First generic approved | July 15, 1988 | January 8, 2014 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 35 labelers | 28 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0217 per tablet (Atenolol 25 mg tablet) | $0.106 per tablet (Telmisartan 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -3% | -4% |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 4 | 3 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 132,491 | 17,745 |
| 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