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What Is Benicar?

Benicar is a prescription medicine containing olmesartan medoxomil, an angiotensin II receptor blocker. It is approved for hypertension in adults and children age 6 and older. Benicar tablets come in 5 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg strengths and are taken once daily. It can be used alone or with other blood pressure medicines.

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What Is Benicar?

Benicar is a prescription medicine containing olmesartan medoxomil, an angiotensin II receptor blocker. It is approved for hypertension in adults and children age 6 and older. Benicar tablets come in 5 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg strengths and are taken once daily. It can be used alone or with other blood pressure medicines.

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How Does Benicar Lower Blood Pressure?

Olmesartan medoxomil is converted during absorption to olmesartan, which selectively blocks angiotensin II from binding to AT1 receptors in vascular smooth muscle. This reduces blood vessel constriction and aldosterone-related effects. The result is lower vascular resistance and lower blood pressure without direct inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme.

Who Is Treated With Benicar?

Benicar is approved for hypertension in adults and pediatric patients age 6 and older. It can be used alone or with other antihypertensive medicines. Use in children younger than 1 year is not recommended due effects of renin-angiotensin system blockade on kidney development.

How Are Benicar Tablets Dosed?

Adults commonly start at 20 mg once daily. If more blood pressure reduction is needed after two weeks, the dose can rise to 40 mg once daily. Children age 6 and older who weigh 20 kg to under 35 kg start at 10 mg daily, while those weighing 35 kg or more start at 20 mg daily.

What Serious Risks Are Linked to Benicar?

Benicar carries a boxed warning for fetal toxicity and is stopped when pregnancy is detected. Other concerns include low blood pressure, worsening kidney function, high potassium, and sprue-like enteropathy with severe chronic diarrhea and substantial weight loss. Kidney function and potassium are checked in patients at increased risk during treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Benicar

Is Benicar an ARB?

Yes. Benicar contains olmesartan medoxomil, which is converted to the angiotensin II receptor blocker olmesartan.

How often is Benicar taken?

Benicar is taken once daily. Adult dosing commonly ranges from 20 mg to 40 mg once daily.

Can children take Benicar?

Yes. Benicar is approved for hypertension in children age 6 and older under weight-based dosing.

Does Benicar have a boxed warning?

Yes. The boxed warning covers fetal toxicity from drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system.

References

BENICAR (olmesartan medoxomil) Prescribing Information. FDALabel. https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/ui/spl-summaries/criteria/110851. Date Accessed September 16, 2026.

DailyMed - BENICAR (olmesartan medoxomil) tablet, film coated. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=dc3f1fd4-5578-4c5d-be7b-12e3f8f3e7df. Date Accessed September 16, 2026.

FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA Approves Label Changes to Include Intestinal Problems (Sprue-Like Enteropathy) Linked to Olmesartan Medoxomil. https://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/DrugSafety/UCM359496.pdf. Date Accessed September 16, 2026.

Olmesartan. MedlinePlus. https://www.medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a603006.html. Date Accessed September 16, 2026.

Olmesartan. StatPearls. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK544367/. Date Accessed September 16, 2026.