Two medicines, side by side
Captopril vs clonidine
Captopril and clonidine are both labeled for high blood pressure. Drugs@FDA records approvals of captopril since 1981 and of clonidine since 1974. Pharmacies paid $0.228 per captopril 12.5 mg tablet and $0.0241 per clonidine HCl 0.1 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. Clonidine's other strengths are brand-only: $1.53 per mL (Javadin 0.02 mg/mL solution). In FDA's classes, captopril is an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and clonidine a central alpha-2 adrenergic agonist.
Check it at the source: the captopril FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 6, 2026); the clonidine FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 30, 2026).
Highlights of the captopril record
Captopril (Capoten) · label of February 6, 2026
FETAL TOXICITY When pregnancy is detected, discontinue captopril tablets as soon as possible. Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus. See WARNINGS: Fetal Toxicity
Used for
From the label: indicationsHypertension Captopril tablets are indicated for the treatment of hypertension. In using captopril tablets, consideration should be given to the risk of neutropenia/agranulocytosis (see WARNINGS ). Captopril tablets may be used as initial therapy for patients with normal renal function, in whom the risk is relatively low. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- April 6, 1981
- Generic labelers
- 13 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.228 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 5
Highlights of the clonidine record
Clonidine (Catapres) · label of March 30, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsClonidine hydrochloride tablets are indicated in the treatment of hypertension. Clonidine hydrochloride tablets may be employed alone or concomitantly with other antihypertensive agents.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 3, 1974
- Generic labelers
- 43 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0241 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 16
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Captopril label of February 6, 2026, Clonidine label of March 30, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do captopril and clonidine differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, captopril is an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and clonidine a central alpha-2 adrenergic agonist.
Half-life, in each label's words: Captopril, “The apparent elimination half-life for total radioactivity in blood is probably less than 3 hours.”; Clonidine, “Following intravenous administration, clonidine displays biphasic disposition with a distribution half-life of about 20 …”
Only the captopril label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: captopril since 1995; clonidine since 1986 (Drugs@FDA).
| Captopril | Clonidine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure, Heart failure, Chronic kidney disease | High blood pressure, ADHD, Pain |
| Pharmacologic class | Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor | Central alpha-2 Adrenergic Agonist |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | The apparent elimination half-life for total radioactivity in blood is probably less than 3 hours. | Following intravenous administration, clonidine displays biphasic disposition with a distribution half-life of about 20 minutes and an elimination half-life ranging from 12 to 16 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | April 6, 1981 | September 3, 1974 |
| First generic approved | March 31, 1995 | July 1, 1986 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 13 labelers | 43 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.228 per tablet (Captopril 12.5 mg tablet) | $0.0241 per tablet (Clonidine HCl 0.1 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -28% | -3% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 5 | 16 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 9,557 | 57,116 |
| 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 captopril
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions