enalapril vs trandolapril
Side-by-side comparison of enalapril and trandolapril Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Vasotec
Mavik
Enalapril (Vasotec) is a medicine that lowers blood pressure and helps treat heart failure. It belongs to a class of drugs called ACE inhibitors.
Trandolapril (Mavik) is a medicine that lowers blood pressure. It can also help people who have had a heart attack and have a weak heart.
Enalapril is used to treat high blood pressure. It can be used alone or with other blood pressure medicines, like water pills. Enalapril also treats symptomatic congestive heart failure, usually with other medicines. It can also help clinically stable patients with left ventricular dysfunction.
Trandolapril is used to treat high blood pressure. It can be used alone or with other blood pressure medicines. It is also used in people who have had a heart attack and have a weak heart (left ventricular dysfunction) or heart failure.
Enalapril blocks a substance in your body that tightens blood vessels. This helps your blood vessels relax and widens them. As a result, blood pressure is lowered, and blood can flow more easily.
Trandolapril belongs to a class of drugs called ACE inhibitors. It works by blocking a substance in your body that tightens blood vessels. This helps your blood vessels relax and lowers your blood pressure.
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Fatigue
- • Cough
- • Cough
- • Dizziness
- Diarrhea 2,806
- Difficulty breathing 2,659
- Feeling sick to your stomach 2,571
- Medicine not working 2,548
- Tiredness 2,374
- Difficulty breathing 137
- Tiredness 119
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 117
- Feeling lightheaded or unsteady 108
- Loose or watery stools 99
This drug can harm your unborn baby. Stop taking enalapril as soon as you know you are pregnant.
If you become pregnant, stop taking trandolapril right away. This medicine can harm or cause death to your unborn baby.
Do not take enalapril if you are pregnant because it can cause harm or death to the developing fetus. Talk to your doctor about safe alternatives if you are breastfeeding.
Do not take trandolapril if you are pregnant. It can cause serious harm to your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about other blood pressure medicines if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This enalapril vs trandolapril Comparison
enalapril is classified in the ACE Inhibitor drug class, while trandolapril 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, enalapril has 12,958 submissions while trandolapril has 580. 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 substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between enalapril and trandolapril — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.