Azilsartan is an angiotensin II type 1 (AT(1)) receptor blocker (ARB) approved by regulatory authorities for the treatment of hypertension. An article, published in Vascular Health and Risk Management, discussed the reasons for introducing this ARB and reviewed the studies comparing the functional properties of azilsartan to those of other ARBs. In studies among hypertensive patients without serious comorbidities, azilsartan seems to have a superior ability to control 24-hour systolic blood pressure (BP) in comparison with other widely used ARBs including valsartan, olmesartan, and candesartan, and presumably others as well, such as losartan. Compared to other ARBs, azilsartan can potentially increase the BP target control and response rate by an absolute value of 8%-10%. Greater antihypertensive effects of azilsartan might be attributed partly to its unusually potent and persistent ability to inhibit binding of angiotensin II to AT(1) receptors. Azilsartan has also been noted to have beneficial effects on cellular mechanisms of cardiometabolic disease and insulin sensitizing activity that could involve more than just blockade of AT(1) receptors or reduction in BP.