Two medicines, side by side
Enalapril vs carvedilol
Enalapril and carvedilol are both labeled for high blood pressure and heart failure. Drugs@FDA records approvals of enalapril since 1985 and of carvedilol since 1995. Pharmacies paid $0.0664 per enalapril maleate 10 mg tablet and $0.0179 per carvedilol 6.25 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, enalapril is an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and carvedilol an alpha-adrenergic blocker.
Check it at the source: the enalapril FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 23, 2026); the carvedilol FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 31, 2026).
Highlights of the enalapril record
Enalapril (Vasotec) · label of January 23, 2026
FETAL TOXICITY See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning.
When pregnancy is detected, discontinue VASOTEC ® 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 VASOTEC is indicated for the treatment of hypertension. VASOTEC is effective alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents, especially thiazide-type diuretics. The blood pressure lowering effects of VASOTEC and thiazides are approximately additive. Heart Failure VASOTEC is indicated for the treatment of symptomatic congestive heart failure, usually in combination with diuretics and digitalis. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 24, 1985
- Generic labelers
- 28 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0664 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 17
Highlights of the carvedilol record
Carvedilol (Coreg) · label of July 31, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsINDICATIONS AND USAGE COREG is an alpha-/beta-adrenergic blocking agent indicated for the treatment of: mild to severe chronic heart failure ( 1.1 ) left ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction in clinically stable patients ( 1.2 ) hypertension ( 1.3 ) 1.1 Heart Failure COREG is indicated for the treatment of mild-to-severe chronic heart failure of ischemic or cardiomyopathic origin, usually in […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 14, 1995
- Generic labelers
- 41 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0179 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 22
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Enalapril label of January 23, 2026, Carvedilol label of July 31, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do enalapril and carvedilol differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, enalapril is an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor and carvedilol an alpha-adrenergic blocker.
How each works, in its label's words: Enalapril, “Mechanism of Action Enalapril, after hydrolysis to enalaprilat, inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in human subjects and animals.”; Carvedilol, “COREG is a racemic mixture in which nonselective β-adrenoreceptor blocking activity is present in the S(-) enantiomer and α1-adrenergic blocking activity is present in both R(+) and S(-) enantiomers …”
Half-life, in each label's words: Enalapril, “The effective half-life for accumulation of enalaprilat following multiple doses of enalapril maleate is 11 hours.”; Carvedilol, “Following oral administration, the apparent mean terminal elimination half-life of carvedilol generally ranges from 7 …”
Only the enalapril label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: enalapril since 2000; carvedilol since 2007 (Drugs@FDA).
| Enalapril | Carvedilol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure, Heart failure | Heart failure, High blood pressure |
| Pharmacologic class | Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor | alpha-Adrenergic Blocker, beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| How it works (label) | Mechanism of Action Enalapril, after hydrolysis to enalaprilat, inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in human subjects and animals. | COREG is a racemic mixture in which nonselective β-adrenoreceptor blocking activity is present in the S(-) enantiomer and α1-adrenergic blocking activity is present in both R(+) and S(-) enantiomers at equal potency. |
| Half-life (label) | The effective half-life for accumulation of enalaprilat following multiple doses of enalapril maleate is 11 hours. | Following oral administration, the apparent mean terminal elimination half-life of carvedilol generally ranges from 7 to 10 hours. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 24, 1985 | September 14, 1995 |
| First generic approved | August 22, 2000 | September 5, 2007 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 28 labelers | 41 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0664 per tablet (Enalapril maleate 10 mg tablet) | $0.0179 per tablet (Carvedilol 6.25 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -12% | -4% |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 17 | 22 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 60,702 | 137,029 |
| 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 enalapril
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions