benazepril vs lisinopril

PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.

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

Drug Class
benazepril ACE Inhibitor
lisinopril ACE Inhibitor
Type
benazepril Prescription
lisinopril Prescription
Summary
benazepril

Benazepril (Lotensin) is a medicine that lowers your blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure helps to prevent strokes and heart attacks.

lisinopril

No summary available.

What It Treats
benazepril

Benazepril is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering your blood pressure reduces your risk of heart attack and stroke. It can be used alone or with other blood pressure medicines.

lisinopril

Information not available.

How It Works
benazepril

Benazepril is an ACE inhibitor. It works by relaxing your blood vessels. This makes it easier for your heart to pump blood.

lisinopril

Information not available.

Common Side Effects
benazepril
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Feeling sleepy
  • Dizziness when standing up
lisinopril
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
  • Cough
  • Feeling tired
  • Diarrhea
FAERS Reports
benazepril
  • Nausea 439
  • Fatigue 408
  • Dizziness 382
  • Dyspnoea 381
  • Pain 361
lisinopril
  • Fatigue 19,346
  • Nausea 17,996
  • Diarrhoea 16,771
  • Dyspnoea 13,650
  • Pain 13,303
Serious Warnings
benazepril

If you become pregnant, stop taking benazepril right away and tell your doctor. This medicine can harm or kill your unborn baby.

lisinopril

No specific warnings noted.

Pregnancy
benazepril

Benazepril can cause serious harm to your unborn baby, including death. Stop taking it as soon as you know you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor about other blood pressure medicines if you are planning to become pregnant.

lisinopril

No pregnancy information available.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This benazepril vs lisinopril Comparison

benazepril is classified in the ACE Inhibitor drug class, while lisinopril sits within the ACE Inhibitor class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory, but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. 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, benazepril has 1,971 submissions while lisinopril has 81,066. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. 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 benazepril or lisinopril.

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