# Telmisartan in Nigeria

Telmisartan has 66 active NAFDAC registrations in our October 2026 copy of the register, from 28 registration holders; 39 further listings have lapsed.

- Source: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/telmisartan/
- Drug class: Angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) (Hypertension)
- Also known as: Micardis, Telmisartan tablets, Telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide
- Prescription required: yes
- Last updated: October 2026

## Price in Nigeria

As of October 2026, Telmisartan tablets sell for about ₦591 per tablet online in Nigeria (packs ₦5,400–₦38,300; Micardis, Xelcon) at HealthPlus and MedPlus. The online price is roughly unchanged since August 2026. Open-market prices (e.g. Idumota, Ogbogwu) are often lower.

## What is Telmisartan?

Telmisartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker — an ARB — used to lower blood pressure. Angiotensin II is a hormone that narrows blood vessels and raises pressure; telmisartan blocks the receptor it acts on, so vessels relax and pressure falls. It belongs to the same family as losartan, but has the longest duration of action of any ARB, with effects lasting well beyond twenty-four hours. That matters in real life: if you take your tablet late, or miss a day, telmisartan holds blood pressure better than shorter-acting alternatives.

Telmisartan is now one of the best-supplied antihypertensives in Nigeria. Our copy of the NAFDAC register shows sixty-six active telmisartan registrations from twenty-eight companies — twenty-eight of them telmisartan on its own and the rest fixed combinations with hydrochlorothiazide — including locally made products from MeCure and Avro alongside a large field of Indian-made generics. That combination tablet pairs telmisartan with a diuretic and is sold as one pill for people who need two drugs.

Hypertension is the most consequential chronic disease in Nigeria, and the hardest to treat well — not because the medicines do not work, but because people stop taking them when they feel fine. Telmisartan's advantage is that it is easy to take: once a day, no cough, and few interactions.

## What is Telmisartan used for?

- High blood pressure — its primary use, alone or with other agents
- Blood pressure control in people who developed a persistent dry cough on an ACE inhibitor such as lisinopril
- Protecting the kidneys in diabetes where protein is appearing in the urine
- Reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke in high-risk patients unable to take ACE inhibitors
- As a fixed combination with hydrochlorothiazide when a single agent has not achieved target

## Dosage

Always follow a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions; this is general reference information.

- Adults: The usual starting dose is 40mg once daily, which can be increased to 80mg once daily if blood pressure remains above target, or reduced to 20mg in people who are sensitive. It can be taken with or without food, at any time of day, but should be taken at roughly the same time daily. The full effect takes four to eight weeks to appear — blood pressure does not drop to target in the first week, and judging the medicine after a few days is a mistake.
- Children: Telmisartan is not established for use in children and is not recommended under eighteen. Childhood hypertension is uncommon, usually has an underlying cause that needs finding, and belongs with a paediatric specialist.
- Elderly: No routine dose reduction is needed for age alone, and telmisartan is generally well tolerated by older adults. Blood pressure should be checked sitting and standing when starting, as dizziness on standing is the main early problem. Kidney function and potassium are worth checking a few weeks after starting.

Blood pressure treatment is for life in most cases, and telmisartan does not cure hypertension — it controls it. Feeling well is what successful treatment feels like, not a reason to stop. If you must stop for any reason, tell your doctor: blood pressure will climb back within days to weeks. Have your kidney function and potassium checked periodically, particularly in the first months and if you are also on a diuretic.

## Side effects

Common: Dizziness, especially in the first days or on standing up quickly; Headache; Back or muscle pain; Fatigue; Upper respiratory or sinus symptoms.

Serious (seek medical help immediately): Angioedema — swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat; rare with ARBs but a medical emergency; High blood potassium (hyperkalaemia), which can disturb heart rhythm; Acute kidney injury, particularly in dehydration or narrowing of the kidney arteries; Symptomatic low blood pressure with fainting; Rarely, liver enzyme disturbance.

When to see a doctor: Seek emergency care for swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing. See a doctor promptly for fainting, marked reduction in urine output, muscle weakness or palpitations that could signal high potassium, or persistent dizziness that does not settle after the first week. Any woman who becomes pregnant while taking telmisartan should contact her doctor immediately.

## Warnings

Do not take if: PREGNANCY — ARBs can seriously harm or kill a developing baby in the second and third trimesters; Severe liver impairment or biliary obstruction; Combination with aliskiren in people with diabetes or kidney impairment; Combination with an ACE inhibitor such as lisinopril — the two together increase harm without benefit; Known hypersensitivity to telmisartan.

Interactions: ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril — should not be combined; added risk of kidney injury and high potassium; Potassium supplements and potassium-sparing diuretics such as spironolactone — risk of dangerous hyperkalaemia; NSAIDs including ibuprofen, diclofenac and mefenamic acid — reduce telmisartan's effect and, with a diuretic, can injure the kidneys; Lithium — telmisartan raises lithium levels toward toxicity; Digoxin — levels rise; monitoring advised; Other blood-pressure-lowering agents and alcohol — additive drops in pressure.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Telmisartan must not be used in pregnancy. ARBs taken in the second and third trimesters can cause kidney failure in the fetus, dangerously low amniotic fluid, skull defects and death. Any woman of childbearing age on telmisartan should know this and should plan pregnancy with her doctor, switching in advance to an antihypertensive suitable for pregnancy such as methyldopa, labetalol or nifedipine. If you discover you are pregnant while taking telmisartan, contact your doctor immediately — this is one of the few situations where a blood pressure medicine needs changing within days. Telmisartan is not recommended while breastfeeding; alternatives with better safety data exist.

## Brands in Nigeria

Well-known NAFDAC-registered brands: MeCure's Telmisartan 40 mg Tablets (Me Cure Industries Limited, made in Nigeria); MeCure's Telmisartan 80 mg Tablets (Me Cure Industries Limited, made in Nigeria); Avrosart Tablet (Avro Pharma Limited, made in Nigeria); Sivosartan Tablet (Adpharm Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, made in India); Telmisartan 80 Tablet (First J. Pocco Pharmacy Limited, made in India); Micardis (World Wide Commercial Ventures Ltd, made in Germany); Xelcon (AnnyGod Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, made in India).
Full searchable brand list: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/telmisartan/brands/

## How to verify it is genuine

1. Check the NAFDAC number on the pack — MeCure's Telmisartan 40mg carries A11-100890 and the 80mg carries A11-100875 in our copy of the register.
2. Other registered products include Avrosart (A11-0812), Sivosartan (B4-1791) and Telmisartan 80 from First J. Pocco (A4-100145).
3. Confirm any brand with our NAFDAC checker. With twenty-nine companies holding active registrations, a genuine telmisartan should be easy to find in the register.
4. Check whether your pack is plain telmisartan or the combination with hydrochlorothiazide — they are different medicines and the combination pack is usually labelled with two figures such as 40mg/12.5mg.
5. Buy from a registered pharmacy. Blood pressure medicine is taken daily for decades, and a substandard tablet produces no symptom at all — just an uncontrolled blood pressure and, eventually, a stroke.

Verify any NAFDAC number free (no login): https://ogbogwu.com/nafdac-checker/

## FAQs

### Is telmisartan better than losartan?

They are close relatives and both are good drugs. Telmisartan's main practical advantage is that it lasts longer — its effect extends well past twenty-four hours, so blood pressure stays controlled toward the end of the dosing day and a late or missed dose is more forgiving. Losartan is generally cheaper and has particular evidence in gout, because it modestly lowers uric acid. Which suits you better is a question for your doctor, and switching between them is straightforward if one is not working.

### Why was I switched from lisinopril to telmisartan?

Almost certainly because of the cough. ACE inhibitors such as lisinopril cause a persistent dry, tickly cough in a substantial minority of people — and it is more common in some populations than others. ARBs like telmisartan work on the same blood pressure pathway one step further along and do not cause that cough, so switching keeps the benefit and drops the problem. The two should never be taken together.

### Can I take telmisartan in pregnancy?

No. ARBs can cause serious harm to a developing baby, particularly in the second and third trimesters, including kidney failure and death. If you are planning a pregnancy, tell your doctor in advance so you can be moved to an antihypertensive that is safe in pregnancy such as methyldopa, labetalol or nifedipine. If you discover you are pregnant while taking telmisartan, contact your doctor immediately rather than at your next appointment — but do not simply stop all blood pressure treatment, since uncontrolled hypertension in pregnancy is itself dangerous.

### How much is telmisartan in Nigeria?

Telmisartan is one of the better-supplied antihypertensives here, with around twenty-nine companies holding active registrations including Nigerian manufacturers, and that competition keeps prices reasonable compared with newer cardiovascular drugs. Locally made products such as MeCure's are typically cheaper than imported originals. Check the price section of this page for current sampled figures, and remember that a month's supply bought at once is usually better value than buying a few tablets at a time.

### What is telmisartan and hydrochlorothiazide?

It is a single tablet containing telmisartan plus a low dose of a thiazide diuretic — a water tablet — typically labelled 40mg/12.5mg or 80mg/12.5mg. Many people need two medicines to reach their blood pressure target, and combining them into one tablet makes that easier to take consistently, which is usually the deciding factor. The diuretic component means you may pass more urine at first and makes checking potassium and kidney function more important.

### Can I stop telmisartan when my blood pressure is normal?

No — normal blood pressure while taking it means the medicine is working, not that it is no longer needed. Hypertension in almost all cases is a lifelong condition, and blood pressure climbs back within days to weeks of stopping, usually with no symptoms at all until damage has been done. This is the single most common reason blood pressure treatment fails in Nigeria. If you want to stop because of cost, side effects or inconvenience, say so to your doctor — there are almost always alternatives.

## Sources

- NAFDAC Greenbook (official register of approved products in Nigeria)
- British National Formulary (BNF)
- Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health)