Two medicines, side by side
Enalapril vs quinapril
Enalapril and quinapril are both labeled for high blood pressure and heart failure. Drugs@FDA records approvals of enalapril since 1985 and of quinapril since 1991.
Check it at the source: the enalapril FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 23, 2026); the quinapril FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 14, 2023).
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 quinapril record
Quinapril (Accupril) · label of December 14, 2023
FETAL TOXICITY
When pregnancy is detected, discontinue quinapril 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 Quinapril tablets USP are indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- November 19, 1991
- Generic labelers
- 9 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- In shortage
- Recalls
- 7
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Enalapril label of January 23, 2026, Quinapril label of December 14, 2023); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do enalapril and quinapril differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors.
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.”; Quinapril, “Following multiple oral dosing of quinapril, there is an effective accumulation half-life of quinaprilat of …”
Both labels carry a boxed warning; the records quote them.
Generics: enalapril since 2000; quinapril since 2004 (Drugs@FDA).
| Enalapril | Quinapril | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure, Heart failure | High blood pressure, Heart failure |
| Pharmacologic class | Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor | Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor |
| How it works (label) | Mechanism of Action Enalapril, after hydrolysis to enalaprilat, inhibits angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in human subjects and animals. | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | The effective half-life for accumulation of enalaprilat following multiple doses of enalapril maleate is 11 hours. | Following multiple oral dosing of quinapril, there is an effective accumulation half-life of quinaprilat of approximately 3 hours, and peak plasma quinaprilat concentrations are observed approximately 2 hours post-dose. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 24, 1985 | November 19, 1991 |
| First generic approved | August 22, 2000 | December 15, 2004 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 28 labelers | 9 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0664 per tablet (Enalapril maleate 10 mg tablet) | n/a |
| 12-month price change | -12% | n/a |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | In shortage |
| Recalls recorded | 17 | 7 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 60,702 | 7,842 |
| 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)
Do their labels mention each other?
Quinapril label, warningsIn controlled studies, syncope was observed in 0.4% of patients (N=3203); this incidence was similar to that observed for captopril (1%) and enalapril (0.8%).
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA
What next?
- Alternatives to enalapril
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions