Two medicines, side by side
Captopril vs telmisartan
Captopril and telmisartan are both labeled for high blood pressure. Drugs@FDA records approvals of captopril since 1981 and of telmisartan since 1998. Pharmacies paid $0.228 per captopril 12.5 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, captopril is an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and telmisartan an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker.
Check it at the source: the captopril FDA label on DailyMed (effective February 6, 2026); the telmisartan FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 29, 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 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 (Captopril label of February 6, 2026, Telmisartan label of May 29, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do captopril and telmisartan differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, captopril is an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and telmisartan an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker.
Half-life, in each label's words: Captopril, “The apparent elimination half-life for total radioactivity in blood is probably less than 3 hours.”; Telmisartan, “Telmisartan shows bi-exponential decay kinetics with a terminal elimination half-life of approximately 24 hours.”
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: captopril since 1995; telmisartan since 2014 (Drugs@FDA).
| Captopril | Telmisartan | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure, Heart failure, Chronic kidney disease | High blood pressure, Heart attack and coronary artery disease |
| Pharmacologic class | Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor | 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 apparent elimination half-life for total radioactivity in blood is probably less than 3 hours. | Telmisartan shows bi-exponential decay kinetics with a terminal elimination half-life of approximately 24 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | April 6, 1981 | November 10, 1998 |
| First generic approved | March 31, 1995 | January 8, 2014 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 13 labelers | 28 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.228 per tablet (Captopril 12.5 mg tablet) | $0.106 per tablet (Telmisartan 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -28% | -4% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 5 | 3 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 9,557 | 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 captopril
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions