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What is atenolol?
Atenolol is in a group of drugs called beta-blockers. Beta-blockers affect the heart and circulation (blood flow through arteries and veins). Atenolol is used to treat angina (chest pain) and hypertension (high blood pressure). It is also used to treat or prevent heart attack. Atenolol may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

Pricing information provided by drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of atenolol?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• slow or uneven heartbeats;

• feeling light-headed, fainting;

• feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion;

• swelling of your ankles or feet;

• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

• depression; or

• cold feeling in your hands and feet.

Other less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

• decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm;

• sleep problems (insomnia);

• tired feeling; or

• anxiety, nervousness.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

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How should I take atenolol?
Take atenolol exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Take this medication with a full glass of water. Take atenolol at the same time every day. Do not skip doses or stop taking atenolol without first talking to your doctor. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse. To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood pressure will need to be checked on a regular basis. It is important that you not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

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What is the most important information I should know about atenolol?
Do not stop taking atenolol without first talking to your doctor. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse. If you need to have any type of surgery, you may need to temporarily stop using atenolol. Be sure the surgeon knows ahead of time that you are using atenolol. Atenolol can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol, which could increase drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking atenolol.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If your next dose is less than 8 hours away, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect atenolol?
Before taking atenolol, tell your doctor if you are using: allergy treatments (or if you are undergoing allergy skin-testing); clonidine (Catapres); guanabenz (Wytensin); an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam); a diabetes medication such as insulin, glyburide (Diabeta, Micronase, Glynase), glipizide (Glucotrol), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), or metformin (Glucophage); a heart medication such as nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), reserpine (Serpasil), verapamil (Calan, Verelan, Isoptin), diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem);

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Atenolol has been assigned to pregnancy category D by the FDA. Animal studies have revealed evidence of dose-related embryotoxicity and fetotoxicity. Atenolol has been used during human pregnancy (starting in the second trimester) with evidence of lower birth weight and preterm (less than 37 weeks) delivery. Neonates born to mothers who are receiving atenolol at parturition may be at risk for hypoglycemia and bradycardia. Atenolol should only be given during pregnancy when there are no alternatives and benefit outweighs risk.

Atenolol crosses the placental barrier and appears in cord blood. Administration of atenolol in the second trimester of pregnancy has been associated with the birth of infants that are small for their gestational age. In addition, some data have shown a significantly decreased fetal heart rate and significantly decreased mean birth weight of infants whose mothers were taking atenolol relative to those taking acebutolol or pindolol. Case reports of profound beta-blockade in neonates of mothers who were taking atenolol are reported. Because of this, observation of affected neonates for bradycardia and hypotension is recommended for 48 hours postpartum. The results of one study indicate that maternal renal function, mean cardiac output, and heart rate are significantly increased, while mean total peripheral resistance is significantly decreased during the second and third trimesters as compared to 3 months postpartum.

Atenolol is excreted into human breast milk at a ratio of 1.5 to 6.8 when compared to the concentration in plasma. Neonates born to mothers who are receiving atenolol and are breast-feeding may be at risk for hypoglycemia and bradycardia. The manufacturer recommends that caution be used when administering atenolol to nursing women.

Milk atenolol levels may be four times higher than maternal serum levels. One case of bradycardia, peripheral cyanosis, and hypothermia is reported in a nursing infant whose mother was taking atenolol 50 mg orally every 12 hours. The authors calculated that the atenolol exposure to the nursing infant was 9% of the mother's daily dose. Because of this, observation of nursing infants for bradycardia and hypotension is recommended during breast-feeding. In addition, neonates born to mothers who are breast-feeding may be at an increase risk for hypoglycemia. Premature infants or infants with impaired renal function may be more at risk to develop side effects.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Patients with sinus bradycardia, AV block greater than first degree, cardiogenic shock, overt or decompensated cardiac failure. Patients with AMI not promptly and effectively controlled by 80 mg IV furosemide or equivalent therapy.
• Do not use in patients with untreated pheochromocytoma.
• Hypersensitivity to atenolol or any ingredient in the formulation.

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What does my medication look like?
Atenolol is available with a prescription under the brand name Tenormin. Other brand or generic forms may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you. Tenormin 25 mg--round, flat, white, uncoated Tenormin 50 mg--round, flat, white, uncoated Tenormin 100 mg--round, flat, white, uncoated

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of an atenolol overdose may include uneven heartbeats, shortness of breath, bluish-colored fingernails, dizziness, weakness, fainting, or seizure (convulsions).

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking atenolol?
Before taking atenolol, tell your doctor if you have: asthma, bronchitis, emphysema; diabetes; low blood pressure; a heart problem such as heart block, sick sinus syndrome, slow heart rate, or congestive heart failure; depression; liver or kidney disease; a thyroid disorder; myasthenia gravis; pheochromocytoma; or problems with circulation (such as Raynaud's syndrome). If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use atenolol, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
Even though you may feel better you should not stop taking your high blood pressure medication without first checking with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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