Losartan vs Carvedilol: side effects in FDA adverse event reports
At a glance
| Losartan | Carvedilol | |
|---|---|---|
| Drug class | – | alpha-Adrenergic Blocker, beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| Brand names | Losartan Potassium | – |
| FAERS reports | 173,627 | 134,417 |
| Serious | 63% | 70% |
| Death outcome | 12,522 | 16,351 |
| 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 | Carvedilol | Label screen (A / B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chronic kidney disease | 4,187 · PRR 6.9 | 4,057 · PRR 8.7 | Labeled — boxed warning / Not in label — unassessed |
| Essential hypertension | 96 · PRR 4.6 | 149 · PRR 9.5 | Labeled adverse reaction / Likely indication confounding |
| End stage renal disease | 1,263 · PRR 8.8 | 1,755 · PRR 16.3 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Nephrogenic anaemia | 650 · PRR 19.4 | 925 · PRR 38.3 | Likely indication confounding / Not in label — unassessed |
| Hyperparathyroidism secondary | 364 · PRR 20.1 | 497 · PRR 38.0 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Rebound acid hypersecretion | 339 · PRR 14.9 | 307 · PRR 17.3 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Brash syndrome | 135 · PRR 13.2 | 266 · PRR 37.9 | Not in label — unassessed / Not in label — unassessed |
| Chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder | 185 · PRR 24.9 | 210 · PRR 37.7 | 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
- 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 Carvedilol
- Cardiac failure congestive — n=4,455, PRR 9.0 Labeled (related wording)
- Renal failure chronic — n=356, PRR 7.4 Labeled (related wording)
- Cardiac failure chronic — n=338, PRR 13.4 Labeled (related wording)
- Bundle branch block left — n=260, PRR 10.1 Labeled (related wording)
- Ventricular hypokinesia — n=211, PRR 10.9 Labeled (related wording)
Common questions
Which has more reported side effects, Losartan or Carvedilol?
Losartan has 173,627 FAERS reports and Carvedilol 134,417. 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 Carvedilol share?
Both drugs carry disproportionality signals for chronic kidney disease, essential hypertension, end stage renal disease, nephrogenic anaemia, hyperparathyroidism secondary. Shared signals often reflect a shared drug class or the condition both are used for.
Is Losartan or Carvedilol 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.