ACE Inhibitors: Summary of affordable alternatives
ACE Inhibitors (ACEIs) are used by tens of millions of Americans to treat high blood pressure, heart failure, diabetes, and kidney disease.
The cost for ACEIs varies from about $20 to more than $100 a month. This reportgives you information that could save you hundreds of dollars a year if you are currentlytaking a brand-name ACEI, and $1,200 or more a year if you are taking the highest-priced ACEIs.
ACEIs are effective, life-saving medicines with more than 20 years of widespread safe use. They help lower the risk of both fatal and nonfatal heart attacks and strokes, and kidney failure. And they improve quality of life. This report compares the effectiveness,safety, and cost of the 10 ACEIs.
We have selected the following five ACEIs as Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs based primarily on the evidence for their effectiveness, but also on dosing convenience and cost in treating the following conditions:
- For high blood pressure — benazepril, enalapril, and lisinopril
- For heart failure — enalapril, captopril
- After a heart attack — lisinopril
- For diabetics — ramipril (Altace)
- For people with kidney disease — benazepril, ramipril (Altace)
Four of these medicines are low-cost or moderately priced generics. All have been proven to be just as effective as or superior to other ACEIs. One Best Buy "ramipril (Altace)" is a brand—name drug for which no generic copy is yet available. Altace is moderately priced.
The ACEIs can lower blood pressure. But they should not be taken as initial "first—step" treatment by people with high blood pressure who do not have heart disease, diabetes, or kidney disease.
ACE Inhibitors: Cost Comparison and Best Buy Drugs
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| Recommendations: ACE Inhibitors | ||||||
| CR Best Buy | Generic Name and Dose | Brand Name1 | Frequency of Use (Per Day) | Average Monthly Cost2 | Best Buy Indication | Compare Prices |
| Benazepril 10mg | Lotensin | One | $46 |  |
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Benazepril 10mg | Generic | One | $21 | High Blood Pressure, Kidney Disease | |
| Benazepril 20mg | Lotensin | One | $45 | |
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Benazepril 20mg | Generic | One | $20 | High Blood Pressure, Kidney Disease | |
| Benazepril 40mg | Lotensin | One | $46 | |
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Benazepril 40mg | Generic | One | $20 | High Blood Pressure, Kidney Disease | |
| Captopril 12.5mg | Capoten | Three | $147 | |
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Captopril 12.5mg | Generic | Three | $31 | Heart Failure | |
| Captopril 25mg | Capoten | Three | $151 | |
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Captopril 25mg | Generic | Three | $31 | Heart Failure | |
| Captopril 50mg | Capoten | Three | $260 | |
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Captopril 50mg | Generic | Three | $46 | Heart Failure | |
| Captopril 100mg | Capoten | Three | $399 | |
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Captopril 100mg | Generic | Three | $53 | Heart Failure | |
| Enalapril 5mg | Vasotec | One | $45 | |
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Enalapril 5mg | Generic | One | $18 | High Blood Pressure, Heart Failure | |
| Enalapril 10mg | Vasotec | One | $46 | |
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Enalapril 10mg | Generic | One | $19 | High Blood Pressure, Heart Failure | |
| Enalapril 20mg | Vasotec | One | $64 | |
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Enalapril 20mg | Generic | One | $25 | High Blood Pressure, Heart Failure | |
| Enalapril 20mg | Vasotec | Two | $129 | |
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Enalapril 20mg | Generic | Two | $49 | High Blood Pressure, Heart Failure | |
| Fosinopril 10mg | Monopril | One | $51 | |
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| Fosinopril 10mg | Generic | One | $33 | |
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| Fosinopril 20mg | Monopril | One | $52 | |
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| Fosinopril 20mg | Generic | One | $33 | |
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| Fosinopril 40mg | Monopril | One | $52 | |
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| Fosinopril 40mg | Generic | One | $33 | |
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| Lisinopril 10mg | Prinivil | One | $41 | |
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| Lisinopril 10mg | Zestril | One | $45 | |
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Lisinopril 10mg | Generic | One | $17 | After a Heart Attack | |
| Lisinopril 20mg | Prinivil | One | $43 | |
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| Lisinopril 20mg | Zestril | One | $49 | |
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Lisinopril 20mg | Generic | One | $19 | After a Heart Attack | |
| Lisinopril 30mg | Zestril | One | $64 | |
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Lisinopril 30mg | Generic | One | $26 | After a Heart Attack | |
| Lisinopril 40mg | Prinivil | One | $65 | |
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| Lisinopril 40mg | Zestril | One | $68 | |
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Lisinopril 40mg | Generic | One | $25 | After a Heart Attack | |
| Moexipril 7.5mg | Univasc | One | $53 | |
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| Moexipril 7.5mg | Generic | One | $31 | |
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| Moexipril 15mg | Univasc | One | $53 | |
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| Moexipril 15mg | Generic | One | $28 | |
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| Perindopril 2mg | Aceon | One | $57 | |
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| Perindopril 4mg | Aceon | One | $61 | |
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| Perindopril 8mg | Aceon | One | $75 | |
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| Quinapril 10mg | Accupril | One | $50 | |
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| Quinapril 10mg | Generic | One | $38 | |
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| Quinapril 20mg | Accupril | One | $52 | |
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| Quinapril 20mg | Generic | One | $36 | |
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| Quinapril 40mg | Accupril | One | $51 | |
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| Quinapril 40mg | Generic | One | $34 | |
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Ramipril 1.25mg | Altace | One | $51 | Diabetes, Kidney Disease | |
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Ramipril 2.5mg | Altace | One | $56 | Diabetes, Kidney Disease | |
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Ramipril 5mg | Altace | One | $60 | Diabetes, Kidney Disease | |
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Ramipril 10mg | Altace | One | $70 | Diabetes, Kidney Disease | |
| Trandolapril 1mg | Mavik | One | $48 | |
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| Trandolapril 2mg | Mavik | One | $48 | |
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| Trandolapril 4mg | Mavik | One | $47 | |
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(1) "Generic" indicates that this drug is sold under its generic name. For example, in this table, the first drug listed is available as both generic benazepril and as brand-name Lotensin. Both have the same active ingredient. When column 2 says"generic," the price listed is for the generic version at the specified dose.
(2) Prices reflect nationwide retail average for September 2006, rounded to the nearest dollar. Information derived by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs from data provided by Wolters Kluwer Health, Pharmaceutical Audit Suite.
(2) Prices reflect nationwide retail average for September 2006, rounded to the nearest dollar. Information derived by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs from data provided by Wolters Kluwer Health, Pharmaceutical Audit Suite.
Related Conditions
Learn more about conditions treated with Ace Inhibitors.
