benazepril
Brand names: Lotensin
Benazepril (Lotensin) is a medicine that lowers your blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure helps to prevent strokes and heart attacks.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.05/unit
Generic Available
Yes (6 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Benazepril is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).
Common side effects
Headache, Dizziness, Feeling sleepy
Key warnings
If you become pregnant, stop taking benazepril right away and tell your doctor.
How It Works
Benazepril is an ACE inhibitor. It works by relaxing your blood vessels. This makes it easier for your heart to pump blood.
How to Take It
Take benazepril once or twice a day as your doctor tells you. You can take it with or without food. If you are also taking a diuretic, your starting dose of benazepril may be lower. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Benazepril can cause serious harm to your unborn baby, including death. Stop taking it as soon as you know you are pregnant. Talk to your doctor about other blood pressure medicines if you are planning to become pregnant.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store benazepril at room temperature, away from moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 3,674 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 7,061 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1998–2025.
Total Reports
7,061
Death-Related Reports
572
Hospitalization Reports
2,464
Top Indication
Hypertension
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NAUSEA | 439 |
| 2 | FATIGUE | 408 |
| 3 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 398 |
| 4 | DIZZINESS | 382 |
| 5 | DYSPNOEA | 381 |
| 6 | PAIN | 361 |
| 7 | DIARRHOEA | 356 |
| 8 | HEADACHE | 344 |
| 9 | MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 310 |
| 10 | HYPERTENSION | 295 |
| 11 | ASTHENIA | 269 |
| 12 | VOMITING | 257 |
| 13 | ANXIETY | 253 |
| 14 | CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT | 248 |
| 15 | CARDIAC FAILURE CONGESTIVE | 240 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
If you become pregnant, stop taking benazepril right away and tell your doctor. This medicine can harm or kill your unborn baby.
Known Drug Interactions
7.4 Dual Blockade of the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) Dual Blockade of the RAS with angiotensin receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, or aliskiren is associated with increased risks of hypotension, hyperkalemia, and changes in renal function (including acute renal failure) compared to monotherapy. Do not coadminister aliskiren with benazepril hydrochloride in patients with diabetes. Avoid use of aliskiren with benazepril hydrochloride in patients with renal impairment (GFR < 60 ml/min).
Mechanism: These medicines both target the same pathway for blood pressure control, which increases the risk of kidney failure and high potassium. Using them together can cause your blood pressure to fall to unsafe levels.
What to do: This combination should not be used in patients with diabetes or kidney disease. Talk to your doctor about using only one of these medications to protect your kidneys.
Hyperkalemia Potassium-sparing diuretics (spironolactone, amiloride, triamterene, and others) can increase the risk of hyperkalemia.
Mechanism: Both of these medicines cause the body to hold onto potassium instead of getting rid of it through urine. This can lead to a dangerous buildup of potassium in your blood.
What to do: Your doctor should monitor your blood potassium levels closely while you are taking this combination.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS • Diuretics: Excessive drop in blood pressure ( 7.1 ) • Antidiabetics: Increased risk of hypoglycaemia ( 7.2 ) • NSAIDS: Increased risk of renal impairment and loss of antihypertensive efficacy ( 7.3 ) • Dual inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system: Increased risk of renal impairment, hypotension and hyperkalemia ( 7.4 ) • Lithium: Symptoms of lithium toxicity ( 7.6 ) • Neprilysin Inhibitor: Increased risk of angioedema ( Error! 7.6 Lithium Lithium toxicity has been reported in patients receiving lithium concomitantly with benazepril hydrochloride. Lithium toxicity wa...
Mechanism: Benazepril can make it harder for your kidneys to remove lithium from your body. This causes lithium to build up to levels that can be poisonous.
What to do: Your doctor may need to check your lithium blood levels more often and adjust your dose to prevent toxicity.
Hyperkalemia Potassium-sparing diuretics (spironolactone, amiloride, triamterene, and others) can increase the risk of hyperkalemia.
Mechanism: These two drugs both prevent the kidneys from flushing out potassium. Taking them together increases the risk that your potassium levels will become too high.
What to do: You should have regular blood tests to check your potassium levels if you are prescribed both medications.
Benazepril Potassium Supplements and Potassium-Sparing Diuretics: Benazepril can attenuate potassium loss caused by thiazide diuretics. Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) including Selective Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors (COX-2 Inhibitors): In patients who are elderly, volume-depleted (including those on diuretic therapy), or with compromised renal function, coadministration of NSAIDs, including selective COX-2 inhibitors, with ACE inhibitors, including benazepril, may result in deterioration of renal function, including possible acute renal failure. Monitor renal function periodic...
Mechanism: Taking both of these medications means you are taking the same medicine twice. This can lead to a higher risk of kidney problems or dangerously low blood pressure.
What to do: Avoid taking these together because they contain the same active ingredient. Your doctor should review your medications to ensure you are on the correct dose.
Common Questions
Can I take benazepril if I am allergic to other ACE inhibitors?
Can I take benazepril if I have a history of angioedema?
Does benazepril interact with other medications?
How long does it take for benazepril to start working?
Can I drink alcohol while taking benazepril?
What should I do if I experience swelling while taking benazepril?
Can benazepril cause kidney problems?
Can benazepril cause high potassium?
Is it safe to take benazepril while breastfeeding?
Can benazepril cause a cough?
What are the common side effects of benazepril?
Does benazepril interact with other medications?
What drug class is benazepril?
Is benazepril safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in ACE Inhibitor
Other drugs grouped near benazepril — same-class peers and common alternatives.
acebutolol
Sectral
Acebutolol is a medicine that helps lower blood pressure and control irregular heartbeats.
Compare with benazepril →
aliskiren
Tekturna
Tekturna is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure.
Compare with benazepril →
amiloride
Midamor
Amiloride is a water pill that helps your body hold onto potassium.
Compare with benazepril →
amlodipine
Norvasc
Amlodipine (Norvasc) is a drug that lowers blood pressure and treats chest pain.
Compare with benazepril →
amlodipine/benazepril
Lotrel
Lotrel is a combination medicine that contains amlodipine and benazepril.
Compare with benazepril →
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
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FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
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Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for benazepril
The FDA label for benazepril (sold under brand names such as Lotensin) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the ACE Inhibitor class. Benazepril is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Headache, Dizziness, Feeling sleepy.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 3,674 voluntary reports. The database also lists 5 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated major severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.05.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: January 12, 2026
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages