Drug class
ARBs (Angiotensin Receptor Blockers): medications in this class
Blood pressure medications that block angiotensin II receptors.
Overview
ARBs block the receptor that angiotensin II acts on, rather than the enzyme that makes it. The effect on blood pressure, heart failure and diabetic kidney disease is equivalent to an ACE inhibitor, and because ARBs do not raise bradykinin they do not cause the ACE-inhibitor cough. They are the usual next step when an ACE inhibitor is not tolerated, and many prescribers now start with them.
Losartan and valsartan are the most prescribed; olmesartan, irbesartan, telmisartan and candesartan differ in duration and in how they are dosed. Valsartan is also one half of sacubitril/valsartan (Entresto), a brand heart failure drug that is a separate product. Potassium and kidney function are monitored, and the class is avoided in pregnancy.
In 2018 and 2019 several ARBs were recalled for a manufacturing contaminant; supply has long since recovered, but it is why pharmacies occasionally change manufacturer.
How the drugs in this class differ when you pay cash
All the common ARBs are generic; losartan is usually the cheapest for pharmacies to buy, and some prescribers choose between losartan and valsartan on price alone. Combinations with hydrochlorothiazide and, for valsartan, with amlodipine, are also generic. Brand ARBs (Cozaar, Diovan, Benicar) are the same drugs at a higher price.
The exception is sacubitril/valsartan, which is brand-only and in a different price bracket; a prescription for it is a clinical decision for heart failure, not a substitute for plain valsartan.
Olmesartan, irbesartan and telmisartan are also generic but cost pharmacies a little more than losartan and are stocked less widely, so a quote for them is worth checking against a second pharmacy. Where a prescription names a brand, ask the prescriber to allow generic substitution.
When paying cash beats a copay, and when it does not
For losartan, valsartan and the other generic ARBs, a cash quote from a flat-price, independent or mail-order pharmacy is usually at or below a copay, more so on ninety-day fills. Insurance matters for Entresto, where the manufacturer’s programme is the first thing to check.
Conditions treated
- High Blood Pressure
- Kidney Disease
Medications
Which of these is right for a given person is a decision for the prescriber. The guides explain what each drug is, how it is supplied, and why its cash price varies between pharmacies. No page on this site shows a price; prices come from pharmacies responding to your actual prescription.
Questions worth asking
- Is losartan or valsartan appropriate for me if one is cheaper at my pharmacy?
- Could my ARB and diuretic be one combination tablet?
- When will my potassium and kidney function be checked?
- Should I avoid potassium supplements and salt substitutes?
- Is a ninety-day prescription appropriate?
How Script Unlock gets you a cash price for a ARBs (Angiotensin Receptor Blockers) prescription
Prices on this site come from pharmacies responding to a real prescription. We do not publish estimated, average or "typical" prices, because none of those would be your price.
- 1You upload your prescription
A photo of your a ARBs (Angiotensin Receptor Blockers) prescription prescription is enough. Nothing is sold on the site; you are asking pharmacies to quote.
- 2Licensed pharmacies respond
Pharmacies that Script Unlock has verified see the request and each can reply with its own cash price for your exact drug, strength and quantity.
- 3You choose and pay the pharmacy
You compare the responses, pick a pharmacy, and pay that pharmacy directly when you collect. Script Unlock never takes a patient payment and never sets the price.
Sources
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
- MedlinePlus drug information (National Library of Medicine)
- FDA Orange Book (approved generics and therapeutic equivalence)
Written by the Script Unlock editorial team from the sources above. Not yet reviewed by an independent pharmacist. Last checked 2026-10-03.
Script Unlock is a marketplace that lets licensed pharmacies quote a cash price on your prescription. It does not prescribe, dispense or sell medication, does not process patient payments, and does not give medical advice. Always follow the instructions of your prescriber and pharmacist and read the medication guide supplied with your medicine.