Losartan vs Atenolol: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Losartan | Atenolol | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| Brand names | Losartan Potassium | – |
| FAERS reports | 173,627 | 132,467 |
| Serious | 63% | 70% |
| Death outcome | 12,522 | 11,274 |
| Boxed warning | Yes FETAL TOXICITY When pregnancy is detected, discontinue losartan potassium tablets as soon as possible. Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system c | No |
Signals both drugs share
| Reaction | Losartan | Atenolol | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blood pressure inadequately controlled | 222 · PRR 4.5 | 278 · PRR 7.6 | Likely indication confounding / Labeled (related wording) |
| Essential hypertension | 96 · PRR 4.6 | 111 · PRR 7.0 | Labeled adverse reaction / Likely indication confounding |
| Nephrogenic anaemia | 650 · PRR 19.4 | 314 · PRR 11.3 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Hyperparathyroidism secondary | 364 · PRR 20.1 | 179 · PRR 12.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Rebound acid hypersecretion | 339 · PRR 14.9 | 137 · PRR 7.4 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Diabetic neuropathy | 149 · PRR 3.7 | 228 · PRR 7.6 | Likely indication confounding / Likely indication confounding |
| Loss of employment | 124 · PRR 5.1 | 97 · PRR 5.2 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
Labeled signals distinctive to Losartan
- Acute kidney injury — n=4,669, PRR 3.8 Labeled — boxed warning
- Chronic kidney disease — n=4,187, PRR 6.9 Labeled — boxed warning
- Renal injury — n=930, PRR 3.8 Labeled (related wording)
- Vasculitis — n=456, PRR 4.9 Labeled adverse reaction
- Tension headache — n=408, PRR 12.6 Labeled (related wording)
- Oligohydramnios — n=100, PRR 3.7 Labeled — boxed warning
Labeled signals distinctive to Atenolol
- Bradycardia — n=2,220, PRR 6.9 Labeled adverse reaction
- Renal failure acute — n=1,472, PRR 5.6 Labeled (related wording)
- Coronary artery disease — n=1,053, PRR 5.6 Labeled adverse reaction
- Sinus bradycardia — n=518, PRR 8.9 Labeled adverse reaction
- Renal failure chronic — n=299, PRR 6.3 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Losartan or Atenolol?
Losartan has 173,627 FAERS reports and Atenolol 132,467. 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 (63% vs 70%) is a better like-for-like signal of the kind of problems reported.
Which side effects do Losartan and Atenolol share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for blood pressure inadequately controlled, essential hypertension, nephrogenic anaemia, hyperparathyroidism secondary, rebound acid hypersecretion. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Losartan or Atenolol 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.