Candesartan Cilexetil: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Candesartan Cilexetil is an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker sold in the U.S. under one brand, for diabetic nephropathies, heart failure and hypertension. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Angiotensin 2 Receptor Blocker
- Treats
- Diabetic Nephropathies, Heart Failure and Hypertension
- Available as
- Tablet
- Sold as
- Atacand
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Not in our catalog
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $16 for a 30-count supply — not your price
- Boxed warning
- Boxed warning
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How candesartan cilexetil is dosed
From the FDA label for Atacand (application NDA020838). Other candesartan cilexetil products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Starting Dose Target Dose Adult Hypertension (2.1) 16 mg tablet once daily 8 - 32 mg tablet total daily dose Pediatric Hypertension (1 to < 6 years) (2.2) 0.20 mg/kg oral suspension once daily 0.05 - 0.4 mg/kg oral suspension once daily or consider divided dose Pediatric Hypertension (6 to < 17 years) (2.2) < 50 kg 4 – 8 mg tablet once daily > 50 kg 8 – 16 mg tablet once daily < 50 kg 4 – 16 mg tablet once daily or consider divided dose > 50 kg 4 – 32 mg tablet once daily or consider divided dose Adult Heart Failure (2.3) 4 mg tablet once daily 32 mg tablet once daily 1 1 The target dose is 32 mg once daily, which is achieved by doubling the dose at approximately 2-week intervals, as tolerated by patient. 2.1 Adult Hypertension Dosage must be individualized. Blood pressure response is dose related over the range of 2 to 32 mg. The usual recommended starting dose of candesartan cilexetil is 16 mg once daily when it is used as monotherapy in patients who are not volume depleted. Candesartan cilexetil can be administered once or twice daily with total daily doses ranging from 8 mg to 32 mg. Larger doses do not appear to have a greater effect, and there is relatively little experience with such doses. Most of the antihypertensive effect is present within 2 weeks, and maximal blood pressure reduction is generally obtained within 4 to 6 weeks of treatment with candesartan cilexetil.…
Candesartan Cilexetil side effects
Most common adverse reactions which caused adult patients to discontinue therapy for: Hypertension were headache (0.6%) and dizziness (0.3%) ( 6.1 ). Heart Failure were hypotension (4.1%) (5.3), abnormal renal function (6.3%) (5.4), and hyperkalemia (2.4%) ( 5.5 ). To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact ANI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 1-855-204-1431 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Studies Experience Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. Adult Hypertension Candesartan cilexetil has been evaluated for safety in more than 3600 patients/subjects, including more than 3200 patients treated for hypertension. About 600 of these patients were studied for at least 6 months and about 200 for at least 1 year. In general, treatment with candesartan cilexetil was well tolerated. The overall incidence of adverse events reported with candesartan cilexetil was similar to placebo. The rate of withdrawals due to adverse events in all trials in patients (7510 total) was 3.3% (i.e., 108 of 3260) of patients treated with candesartan cilexetil as monotherapy and 3.5% (i.e., 39 of 1106) of patients treated with placebo. In…
Who shouldn’t take candesartan cilexetil
Candesartan cilexetil is contraindicated in patients who are hypersensitive to candesartan. Do not co-administer aliskiren with candesartan cilexetil in patients with diabetes [see Drug Interactions (7.4) ] . Known hypersensitivity to product components (4). Do not co-administer aliskiren with candesartan cilexetil in patients with diabetes (4) .
Candesartan Cilexetil drug interactions
Lithium: Increases in serum lithium concentrations and toxicity ( 7 ). NSAIDS use may lead to increased risk of renal impairment and loss of antihypertensive effect ( 7 ). Combined inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system: Increased risk of renal impairment, hypotension, and hyperkalemia ( 7 ). 7.1 Agents Increasing Serum Potassium Co-administration of candesartan cilexetil with potassium sparing diuretics, potassium supplements, potassium-containing salt substitutes or other drugs that raise serum potassium levels may result in hyperkalemia. Monitor serum potassium in such patients. 7.2 Lithium Increases in serum lithium concentrations and toxicity have been reported during concomitant administration of lithium with angiotensin II receptor antagonists, including candesartan cilexetil. Monitor serum lithium levels. 7.3 Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents including Selective Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibitors (COX-2 Inhibitors) In patients who are elderly, volume-depleted (including those on diuretic therapy), or with compromised renal function, co-administration of NSAIDs, including selective COX-2 inhibitors, with angiotensin II receptor antagonists, including candesartan, may result in deterioration of renal function, including possible acute renal failure. These effects are usually reversible. Monitor renal function periodically in patients receiving candesartan and NSAID therapy. The antihypertensive effect of angiotensin II receptor antagonists, including candesartan may be attenuated by NSAIDs including selective COX-2 inhibitors. 7.4 Combination Blockade of the Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) Dual blockade of the RAS with angiotensin receptor blockers, ACE inhibitors, or aliskiren is associated with increased risks of hypotension, hyperkalemia, and changes in renal function (including acute renal failure) compared to monotherapy. Triple combination of candesartan cilexetil with an ACE-inhibitor and a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist is generally not recommended. Closely monitor blood pressure, renal function and electrolytes in patients on candesartan cilexetil and other agents that affect the RAS. Do not co-administer aliskiren with candesartan cilexetil in patients with diabetes. Avoid use of aliskiren with candesartan cilexetil in patients with renal impairment (GFR <60 mL/min) [see Contraindications (4) ] .
Candesartan Cilexetil and food
Potassium-rich foods & salt substitutes
Don't use potassium-based salt substitutes unless your clinician approves, and ask before taking potassium supplements. Your clinician may check your potassium level with blood tests.
Lisinopril (an ACE inhibitor) — MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine) ↗
Every candesartan cilexetil product we track (1)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
Only one: Atacand.
What candesartan cilexetil pills look like
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
| Imprint | Strength | Colour | Shape | Maker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACF;004 | 4 mg | white | round | — |
| ACG;008 | 8 mg | pink | round | — |
| ACH;016 | 16 mg | pink | round | — |
| ACL;032 | 32 mg | pink | round | — |
| ZE;58 | 4 mg | pink | round | — |
| ZE;59 | 8 mg | pink | round | — |
| ZE;61 | 32 mg | white | round | — |
| ACF;004 | 4 mg | white | round | — |
| ACG;008 | 8 mg | pink | round | — |
| ACH;016 | 16 mg | pink | round | — |
| ACL;032 | 32 mg | pink | round | — |
| ZE;60 | 16 mg | white | round | — |
Combination products containing candesartan cilexetil
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
How long candesartan cilexetil keeps
The date on a sealed pack is not the only one: some candesartan cilexetil labels start a second clock once the product is opened or mixed, as short as 30 days.
Does candesartan cilexetil expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about candesartan cilexetil
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 15,838 reports naming candesartan cilexetil, and the FDA flagged 95% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- dyspnoea1,152 reports
- fatigue1,027 reports
- nausea960 reports
- dizziness936 reports
- headache917 reports
- diarrhoea876 reports
- fall834 reports
- vomiting809 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean candesartan cilexetil caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
What is candesartan cilexetil?
Candesartan cilexetil, a prodrug, is hydrolyzed to candesartan during absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Candesartan is a selective AT 1 subtype angiotensin II receptor antagonist.
What kind of drug is candesartan cilexetil?
The FDA classifies candesartan cilexetil as an angiotensin 2 receptor blocker. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) block the AT1 receptor that the hormone angiotensin II uses to tighten blood vessels and make the body hold onto salt and water. With that receptor blocked, vessels relax and widen, so blood pressure falls. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take candesartan cilexetil with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run candesartan cilexetil against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What forms does candesartan cilexetil come in?
Across the brands we track, candesartan cilexetil is currently marketed as tablet, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic candesartan cilexetil?
We do not currently list a generic-labelled candesartan cilexetil product. That does not always mean none exists — it means none appears under a generic name in the FDA data we track. Ask your pharmacist.
What should I avoid while taking candesartan cilexetil?
Food: salt substitutes containing potassium, and large amounts of potassium-rich foods or supplements — see the food section above for what each one does and whether it means avoiding it or just being consistent. This is what the FDA label and our cited sources say — it is not a complete list. Your pharmacist can check your own combination.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Candesartan Cilexetil: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/candesartan-cilexetil
- MLA
- “Candesartan Cilexetil: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/candesartan-cilexetil.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for candesartan cilexetil on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.