Azilsartan / chlorthalidone (Edarbyclor)

How Medicare covers it

Part D (forms used at home). Part A during a covered inpatient stay. No Part B clinician-administered form in the CMS Part B spending file.

What it treats

High blood pressure (hypertension), to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, mainly strokes and heart attacks (myocardial infarctions).

What it is for, in depth

Edarbyclor is a single tablet that combines azilsartan medoxomil (an ARB) with chlorthalidone (a thiazide-like water pill) to treat high blood pressure. The label gives it two places in the treatment path: it may be used in patients whose blood pressure is not adequately controlled on monotherapy (one drug alone), and it may be used as initial therapy if a patient is likely to need multiple drugs to achieve blood pressure goals — for example, patients with moderate-to-severe hypertension, who face higher risk of stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, and vision problems. It can also provide extra lowering for patients not controlled on azilsartan medoxomil 80 mg or chlorthalidone 25 mg alone. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and heart attacks, and the label notes control of high blood pressure should be part of broader risk care such as lipid control, diabetes management, smoking cessation, exercise, and limited sodium intake. Forms and strengths: fixed-dose combination tablets only — 40/12.5 mg (pale red) and 40/25 mg (light red), each containing 40 mg of azilsartan medoxomil plus 12.5 mg or 25 mg of chlorthalidone, taken once daily, with 40/25 mg as the maximum dose.

How it works

Edarbyclor combines two drugs that lower blood pressure in two different ways. Azilsartan medoxomil is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) — it is a prodrug that is turned into azilsartan in the gut during absorption, and azilsartan blocks angiotensin II. Chlorthalidone is a thiazide-like diuretic (a water pill). The label says the two active ingredients target two separate mechanisms involved in blood pressure regulation.

How it is taken

Taken by mouth once a day, with or without food. The starting dose is 40/12.5 mg once daily. The dose may be increased to 40/25 mg after 2 to 4 weeks if needed to reach blood pressure goals, and 40/25 mg is the maximum dose. It may be taken with other blood pressure medicines. In people who are low on fluid or salt (volume-depleted), that should be corrected before starting.

Common side effects

The label extract's adverse section lists the potential reactions covered in its warnings rather than a list of mild everyday effects: fetal toxicity, low blood pressure in people who are low on fluid or salt, impaired kidney function, low potassium (hypokalemia), and high uric acid (hyperuricemia).

Serious warnings

See the boxed warning on fetal toxicity. It can cause too-low blood pressure in people whose renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is activated, such as people low on fluid or salt — correct fluid or salt depletion first. In people with renal artery stenosis (narrowed kidney arteries) it may cause kidney failure, kidney function should be monitored in people with kidney impairment, and stopping it should be considered if kidney function keeps getting worse. Blood electrolytes should be checked from time to time.

Boxed warning

When pregnancy is detected, stop Edarbyclor as soon as possible. Drugs that act directly on the renin-angiotensin system can cause injury and death to the developing fetus.

Who should be careful

It must not be used by people with anuria (not making urine). Extra care is needed for people who are low on fluid or salt, people with kidney impairment or renal artery stenosis, and people whose electrolytes need monitoring. Breastfeeding is not recommended. Because of the boxed warning, it must be stopped as soon as pregnancy is detected.

Major interactions

Lithium: diuretics such as chlorthalidone reduce how fast the kidneys clear lithium, raising the risk of lithium toxicity, and increases in lithium levels and toxicity are listed. NSAIDs raise the risk of kidney problems and can interfere with the blood-pressure-lowering effect. Using two blockers of the renin-angiotensin system at once raises the risk of kidney impairment, low blood pressure, and high potassium. Aliskiren-containing products must not be used with Edarbyclor in patients with diabetes.

Cost and saving notes

Costs vary by plan. If a plan places this drug on a higher tier, a tier exception can be asked for when the drug is medically needed, and people who qualify for Extra Help (the Low-Income Subsidy) pay much less for Part D prescription drugs.

Why it is in its tier

Azilsartan / chlorthalidone (Edarbyclor) sits on Tier 4 in 86.4% of the plans that list it (2198 of 2544 listing plans). Tier 4 is the non-preferred tier — higher copays or coinsurance. The data-visible drivers: It is a brand-only product with no generic version in the formulary data, and the CMS dashboard puts its average Part D spending at about $2,087 per beneficiary for 2024 — a mid-cost drug, which matches where plans place it. Only 46.3% of Part D plans list it at all, so many readers will find their plan does not list it and covers a similar drug instead. The tier shown is the most common one; individual plans vary.

Sources

• EDARBYCLOR (AZILSARTAN KAMEDOXOMIL AND CHLORTHALIDONE) TABLET [AZURITY PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. (FORMERLY ARBOR PHARMACEUTICALS)] — DailyMed

Part D formulary coverage

Source: CMS Prescription Drug Plan Formulary, Pharmacy Network, and Pricing Information Files — Monthly file 2026-10-15 (plan year 2027), file 2027_20261008.zip (data.cms.gov dataset ed1496ea-23e7-41f1-9292-172fa842ccfb): basic drugs formulary file + plan information file, both dated 20261031 inside the zip; downloaded and aggregated 2026-10-30. Medication RxCUI sets resolved through the NLM RxNav (RxNorm) API.

What you pay

Without insurance, the cash benchmark is 8.49696 per unit (EDARBYCLOR 40-12.5 MG TABLET) — about nan for 30 units. NADAC benchmark — the average price pharmacies pay (CMS, as of 2026-11-04). Pharmacy shelf prices vary.

A tier is not a price; what you pay depends on your plan, pharmacy, and benefit stage; Extra Help or Medicaid can lower it further.

Sources: CMS Plan Benefit Package + formulary data; CMS NADAC · Checked 2026-11-07

Coverage by plan and tier

Of the 5,495 Medicare drug plans we track for 2027, 2,544 list Azilsartan / chlorthalidone (Edarbyclor) — 46.3% of plans. Most of those plans put it on Tier 4: 2,198 plans, 86.4% of the plans that list it. Other plans place it on Tier 2 (238 plans), Tier 3 (103 plans) or Tier 1 (5 plans). For example: Aetna Medicare Dual Extra (HMO D-SNP) puts it on Tier 4; Aetna Medicare Dual Extra Care (PPO D-SNP) puts it on Tier 4; Aetna Medicare Value Plus (PPO) puts it on Tier 4. You can compare these plans side by side on our Medicare Advantage hub. A tier is not a price. What you pay also depends on whether you have met your plan';s deductible, whether the drug costs a flat copay or a share of the price, and whether you get Extra Help or Medicaid.

Read next

• Part D in 2027: The $700 Deductible, the $2,400 Cap, and the $35 Insulin Rule
• Extra Help in 2027: Lower Drug Copays and Who Qualifies
• Checking Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help

Part D spending averages (2024)

Source: CMS Medicare Part D Spending by Drug (Drug Spending Dashboard), release RY26 P04 V10, data through 2024 (DSD_PTD_RY26_P04_V10_DY24_BGM.csv), downloaded 2026-10-30

Companies covering this drug

Part D and Medicare Advantage plan sponsors that list this drug on a formulary, 50 at a time.