Lisinopril vs Candesartan: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Lisinopril | Candesartan | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | – |
| Brand names | – | – |
| FAERS reports | 304,208 | 35,463 |
| Serious | 61% | 96% |
| Death outcome | 25,263 | 4,872 |
| Boxed warning | Yes FETAL TOXICITY See full prescribing information for complete boxed warning. When pregnancy is detected, discontinue lisinopril as soon as possible. ( 5.1 ) Drug | Yes FETAL TOXICITY When pregnancy is detected, discontinue candesartan cilexetil tablets as soon as possible. [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 ) and Use in Speci |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Lisinopril | Candesartan | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duodenal ulcer perforation | 1,428 · PRR 16.4 | 891 · PRR 81.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Rheumatic fever | 1,150 · PRR 24.4 | 580 · PRR 90.5 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Facet joint syndrome | 634 · PRR 17.1 | 869 · PRR 225.7 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Peripheral venous disease | 720 · PRR 15.0 | 782 · PRR 144.1 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Lupus vulgaris | 529 · PRR 54.9 | 141 · PRR 79.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Carotid artery thrombosis | 198 · PRR 20.6 | 113 · PRR 90.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Neurologic neglect syndrome | 179 · PRR 32.1 | 118 · PRR 158.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Lisinopril
- Chronic kidney disease — n=9,125, PRR 9.2 Labeled adverse reaction
- Angioedema — n=6,693, PRR 12.2 Labeled — boxed warning
- Intestinal angioedema — n=265, PRR 86.6 Labeled — boxed warning
- Subcutaneous drug absorption impaired — n=203, PRR 40.6 Labeled (related wording)
Labeled signals distinctive to Candesartan
- None stood out among the strongest labeled signals.
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Lisinopril or Candesartan?
Lisinopril has 304,208 FAERS reports and Candesartan 35,463. More reports does not mean more dangerous: volume follows how widely and how long a drug has been used, prescription vs over-the-counter status, and publicity. The seriousness share (61% vs 96%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Lisinopril and Candesartan share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for duodenal ulcer perforation, rheumatic fever, facet joint syndrome, peripheral venous disease, lupus vulgaris. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Lisinopril or Candesartan safer?
FAERS cannot answer that: it has no denominator and no comparator. Use this page to see which risks are already on each label and which signals are unlabeled, then check the prescribing information and your clinician for your situation.
Sources: openFDA FAERS pair statistics (OpenPV build 2026-09-14), FDA labels via openFDA, openFDA count queries for seriousness and deaths. Pair chosen because it is a commonly searched comparison. Generated 2026-10-08.