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fosinopril vs trandolapril

Side-by-side comparison of fosinopril and trandolapril Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

Drug Class
fosinopril ACE Inhibitor
trandolapril ACE Inhibitor
Type
fosinopril Prescription
trandolapril Prescription
Summary
fosinopril

Fosinopril is a medicine that lowers blood pressure. It can also help manage heart failure.

trandolapril

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.

What It Treats
fosinopril

Fosinopril is used to treat high blood pressure. It can be used alone or with a water pill (diuretic). Fosinopril also helps manage heart failure when used with other medicines.

trandolapril

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.

How It Works
fosinopril

Fosinopril 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.

trandolapril

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.

Common Side Effects
fosinopril
  • Cough
  • Dizziness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
trandolapril
  • Cough
  • Dizziness
FAERS Reports
fosinopril
  • Tiredness 239
  • Diarrhea 232
  • Difficulty breathing 210
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 205
  • Medicine not working 182
trandolapril
  • 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
Serious Warnings
fosinopril

Fosinopril can harm your unborn baby, even causing death. Stop taking fosinopril as soon as you know you are pregnant.

trandolapril

If you become pregnant, stop taking trandolapril right away. This medicine can harm or cause death to your unborn baby.

Pregnancy
fosinopril

Do not take fosinopril if you are pregnant. It can cause serious harm or death to your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about other blood pressure medicines if you are breastfeeding.

trandolapril

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.

Also Compare — Nearby Drugs

How to Read This fosinopril vs trandolapril Comparison

fosinopril 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, fosinopril has 1,068 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 fosinopril 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.