How Do ARBs Work? Plus, 5 More FAQs About These Blood Pressure Medications
ARBs work by blocking a hormone that can worsen certain issues, like high blood pressure. Learn more about ARBs with answers to common questions.
Edarbi
Used for Hypertension
Used for Hypertension
Edarbi (azilsartan) is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). It's used to treat high blood pressure in adults. Edarbi (azilsartan) is available as a tablet. The typical dose is 40 mg to 80 mg by mouth once per day. Side effects aren't common, but can include diarrhea, nausea, and fatigue. Edarbi (azilsartan) isn't known to cause weight gain.
What is Edarbi (azilsartan)?
What is Edarbi (azilsartan) used for?
- High blood pressure in adults
How Edarbi (azilsartan) works
Edarbi (azilsartan) is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB). It lowers blood pressure by blocking angiotensin II, a hormone that's naturally found in the body.
Angiotensin II typically raises your blood pressure by squeezing the blood vessels. It also tells your body to release another hormone called aldosterone. Aldosterone raises the amount of water your body absorbs, which also raises your blood pressure.
Drug facts
| Common Brands | Edarbi |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | ARB |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | No lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
More on Edarbi (azilsartan) essentials
Side effects of Edarbi (azilsartan)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Diarrhea (2%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Cough
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Muscle spasms
- Dizziness
- Low blood pressure
Edarbi (azilsartan) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Serious kidney problems: urinating less often than usual, swelling in your feet, ankles, or hands, unexplained weight gain
- High blood potassium levels: nausea, tiredness, chest pain, muscle weakness, tingling or numbness, pounding heart, nausea
- Severely low blood pressure: lightheadedness, dizziness, feeling faint, tiredness, confusion
More on Edarbi (azilsartan) side effects
The following Edarbi (azilsartan) side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Blurred vision
confusion
dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
sweating
unusual tiredness or weakness
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Get your GoodRx coupon
$314.82
GoodRx discount
$255.09
Pros and cons of Edarbi (azilsartan)
Pros
- A first-choice blood pressure medication for many people
- Taken by mouth once per day
- Can start to lower blood pressure hours after a dose
- Works similarly to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, but with fewer side effects
Cons
- Not approved for children
- Might not work as well for Black people as other blood pressure medications do
- Only available as a tablet
- Brand-name only
Pharmacist tips for Edarbi (azilsartan)
- Mark your calendar with your appointments to see your primary care provider (PCP) or cardiologist and to get any blood work done when you take Edarbi (azilsartan). Your care team will order tests (e.g., potassium level, kidney function, blood pressure) during treatment and might change your dose of Edarbi (azilsartan) based on your lab results.
- Take Edarbi (azilsartan) exactly as prescribed. Don't change your dose or stop taking it suddenly without talking to your primary care provider or cardiologist first. Otherwise, your blood pressure might rise quickly. Ask your prescriber about the safest way to stop Edarbi (azilsartan).
- Measure and record your blood pressure at home and bring your log to your medical appointments. Your prescriber can review your log with you, discuss how well the medication is working for you, and decide on any dose changes.
- You can take Edarbi (azilsartan) with or without food. If it's hurting your stomach, taking it with food might help.
- You might feel dizzy when you start taking Edarbi (azilsartan), and when the dose is raised. This should get better over time as you continue taking the medication and your body gets used to your new blood pressure.
- Make sure to tell your care team about all the medications you're taking before you start Edarbi (azilsartan). Also, don't start taking any new medications without talking to your care team first. Since Edarbi (azilsartan) can interact with other medications, it's best for your care team to check that all your medications are safe for you to take.
- Don't take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil), while you're taking Edarbi (azilsartan) unless your primary care provider or pharmacist said it's safe to do so. Taking NSAIDs and Edarbi (azilsartan) together can raise your risk for kidney problems.
- It's important to eat a nutritious diet that's low in salt while you're taking Edarbi (azilsartan). Ask your care team to help you plan healthy meals, such as ones that include low-fat milk or yogurt, whole-grains, and vegetables.
- If you're pregnant or thinking of getting pregnant, contact your primary care provider or cardiologist right away. Edarbi (azilsartan) isn't safe to take during pregnancy, so you'll need to switch to a medication that's safer for your baby.
- It's not known how safe Edarbi (azilsartan) is while breastfeeding because it hasn't been studied. Let your prescriber know if you're breastfeeding. They might consider switching you to a different blood pressure medication.
- Store Edarbi (azilsartan) in the original container it comes in from the pharmacy at room temperature and away from light. Keep the container tightly closed. Don't put Edarbi (azilsartan) in a pill organizer.
Risks and warnings for Edarbi (azilsartan)
Edarbi (azilsartan) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Harm to unborn baby
Don't take Edarbi (azilsartan) if you're pregnant because the medication can cause severe harm your unborn baby. This medication can affect how well the unborn baby's kidneys develop and work, which can be life-threatening.
Stop taking Edarbi (azilsartan) and let a member of your healthcare team know right away if you find out that you're pregnant during treatment. Discuss with your primary care provider or cardiologist about taking a different medication that's safer to treat your blood pressure if you're pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant.
Low blood pressure
- Risk factors: Not enough fluid in your body | Having diarrhea or vomiting for a long time | Low salt levels in your body | Taking higher doses of diuretic medications
Although rare, Edarbi (azilsartan) can cause your blood pressure to drop too much. This can make you feel dizzy, tired, or lightheaded. Having these symptoms of low blood pressure is more common when you first start Edarbi (azilsartan) or when your dose gets raised. You're also at risk if you're dehydrated or if you have medical conditions that cause you to become dehydrated, such as too much diarrhea or vomiting.
Make sure to stay well-hydrated. Be sure to sit down slowly while holding onto something if your blood pressure drops too much and you feel dizzy. Let your care team know if your blood pressure gets too low or if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, faint, tired, or confused while you're taking Edarbi (azilsartan). Get medical help right away if you fall and hit your head.
Kidney damage
- Risk factors: Severe heart failure | Kidney problems | Not enough fluid in your body | Taking other medications that can cause kidney damage
Although Edarbi (azilsartan) is sometimes used to protect the kidneys, it's also possible for the medication to affect your kidneys in a way that causes them to not work as well. This can happen to anyone. But the effects can be more serious in people with severe heart failure, people with certain kidney problems, or people who take medications that can worsen kidney function.
Your primary care provider or cardiologist might order lab tests every so often during treatment to make sure your kidneys are healthy and working properly. Your care team might recommend that you stop taking the medication if you develop kidney problems (or if your kidney problems worsen) while you're taking Edarbi (azilsartan). Let your primary care provider or cardiologist know if you're urinating less often than usual, as this could be a sign that your kidneys aren't working as well.
High potassium levels
- Risk factors: Taking other medications that can raise potassium levels | Kidney problems
ARBs like Edarbi (azilsartan) can cause high potassium levels. Your risk is higher if you take Edarbi (azilsartan) with other medications that can raise potassium, such as spironolactone (Aldactone) or eplerenone (Inspra). Tell your healthcare team right away if you experience signs of high potassium levels, such as nausea, muscle weakness, or abnormal heartbeat. You'll probably need your potassium levels checked. If left untreated, high potassium levels can cause heart rhythm problems.
More on Edarbi (azilsartan) warnings
Edarbi (azilsartan) dosage
The average cost for 30 tablets of 80mg of Edarbi (azilsartan) is $276.30 with a free GoodRx coupon. This is 18.84% off the average retail price of $340.42. 
Tablet
Tablet| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40mg | 30 tablets | $255.09 | $8.50 |
| 80mg | 30 tablets | $276.30 | $9.21 |
Typical dosage for Edarbi (azilsartan)
- Adults: The typical dose is 80 mg by mouth once per day. Your prescriber might start your dose at 40 mg once daily if you're taking a diuretic (water pill).
Interactions between Edarbi (azilsartan) and other drugs
Edarbi (azilsartan) may interact with certain medications or supplements. Always let your doctor and pharmacist know about any other medications or supplements (including prescribed and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and dietary or herbal supplements) that you are currently taking. The list below does not include all possible drug interactions with Edarbi (azilsartan). Please note that only the generic name of each medication is listed below.
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Benazepril
- Captopril
- Ceritinib
- Enalapril
- Enalaprilat
- Fluconazole
- Fosinopril
- Lisinopril
- Lithium
- Moexipril
- Perindopril
- Potassium Phosphate
- Quinapril
- Ramipril
- Trandolapril
- Trimethoprim
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Bromfenac
- Bufexamac
- Celecoxib
- Choline Salicylate
- Clonixin
- Dexibuprofen
- Dexketoprofen
- Diclofenac
- Diflunisal
- Dipyrone
- Droxicam
- Etodolac
- Etofenamate
- Etoricoxib
- Felbinac
- Fenoprofen
- Fepradinol
- Feprazone
- Floctafenine
- Flufenamic Acid
- Flurbiprofen
- Ibuprofen
- Indomethacin
- Ketoprofen
- Ketorolac
- Lornoxicam
- Loxoprofen
- Lumiracoxib
- Meclofenamate
- Mefenamic Acid
- Meloxicam
- Morniflumate
- Nabumetone
- Naproxen
- Nepafenac
- Niflumic Acid
- Nimesulide
- Nimesulide Beta Cyclodextrin
- Oxaprozin
- Oxyphenbutazone
- Parecoxib
- Phenylbutazone
- Piketoprofen
- Piroxicam
- Proglumetacin
- Propionic Acid
- Propyphenazone
- Proquazone
- Rofecoxib
- Salicylic Acid
- Salsalate
- Sodium Salicylate
- Sulindac
- Tenoxicam
- Tiaprofenic Acid
- Tolfenamic Acid
- Tolmetin
- Valdecoxib
How much does Edarbi (azilsartan) cost?
To access savings, use a GoodRx coupon and pay just a fraction of the retail price.
Edarbi (brand)
$255.09
Edarbi (azilsartan) contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Edarbi (azilsartan) will not be safe for you to take.
- Taking at the same time as aliskiren (Tekturna) in people with diabetes (high blood sugar)
What are alternatives to Edarbi (azilsartan)?
There are a number of medications that your doctor can prescribe in place of Edarbi (azilsartan). Compare a few possible alternatives below.
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