Is there much difference between Benicar HCT and Losartan?

Don't know if benicar is bettr

Both medications are angiotensin II recepters. Benicar hct is fairly new (last 5 years? according to my physician) and thus it will be a while before generics are available. Therefore, Benicar HCT is a "primary" or patented drug and the patents do not expire for quite some time. It will continue to be expensive due to its exclusivity through patents. Losartan is a generic angiotensin II for a brand name drug Cozaar. Since it is a generic it will be cheaper by far than Benicar. However, Losartan DOES come in a form that contains HCT. I currently take Losartan HCT instead of Benicar HCT. Your question is from 2011. In 2012 I received my first prescription for Benicar. I have no insurance and the price tag at the cheapest pharmacy was almost $8 a tablet at Walgreens and Walmart. Perhaps your physician will consider Losartan HCT for you to cut costs. After a year of use, I find that I am not experiencing any problems but that isn't true for everyone. But it is worth checking into!

Yes, Benicar has an additional ingredient called Hydrochlorothiazide. Hydrochlorothiazide is a diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention and an increase in blood pressure.
Losartan is very similar to the other ingredient in Benicar - olmesartan. They belong to the same class of drugs called angiotensin II receptor antagonists. However the addition of the diuretic may make Benicar HCT more effective for you.
Ask your pharmacist for suggestions of cheaper alternatives.
https://www.drugs.com/mtm/benicar-hct.html