Two medicines, side by side
Nadolol vs carvedilol
Nadolol and carvedilol are both labeled for high blood pressure. Drugs@FDA records approvals of nadolol since 1979 and of carvedilol since 1995. Pharmacies paid $0.147 per nadolol 20 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, nadolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker and carvedilol an alpha-adrenergic blocker.
Check it at the source: the nadolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 12, 2026); the carvedilol FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 31, 2026).
Highlights of the nadolol record
Nadolol (Corgard) · label of May 12, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsAngina Pectoris Nadolol tablets are indicated for the long-term management of patients with angina pectoris. Hypertension Nadolol tablets 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
- December 10, 1979
- Generic labelers
- 16 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.147 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
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 (Nadolol label of May 12, 2026, Carvedilol label of July 31, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do nadolol and carvedilol differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, nadolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker and carvedilol an alpha-adrenergic blocker.
Half-life, in each label's words: Nadolol, “The half-life of therapeutic doses of nadolol is about 20 to 24 hours, permitting once-daily dosage.”; Carvedilol, “Following oral administration, the apparent mean terminal elimination half-life of carvedilol generally ranges from 7 …”
Generics: nadolol since 1993; carvedilol since 2007 (Drugs@FDA).
| Nadolol | Carvedilol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Angina, High blood pressure | Heart failure, High blood pressure |
| Pharmacologic class | beta-Adrenergic Blocker | alpha-Adrenergic Blocker, beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| How it works (label) | n/a | 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 half-life of therapeutic doses of nadolol is about 20 to 24 hours, permitting once-daily dosage. | 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 10, 1979 | September 14, 1995 |
| First generic approved | October 31, 1993 | September 5, 2007 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 16 labelers | 41 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.147 per tablet (Nadolol 20 mg tablet) | $0.0179 per tablet (Carvedilol 6.25 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | +23% | -4% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 2 | 22 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 7,532 | 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 nadolol
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions