Atenolol is a beta-adrenergic blocker sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
From the FDA label for Atenolol (application ANDA073457). Other atenolol products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Hypertension The initial dose of atenolol is 50 mg given as one tablet a day either alone or added to diuretic therapy. The full effect of this dose will usually be seen within one to two weeks. If an optimal response is not achieved, the dosage should be increased to atenolol 100 mg given as one tablet a day. Increasing the dosage beyond 100 mg a day is unlikely to produce any further benefit. Atenolol tablets may be used alone or concomitantly with other antihypertensive agents including thiazide-type diuretics, hydralazine, prazosin, and alpha-methyldopa. Angina Pectoris The initial dose of atenolol is 50 mg given as one tablet a day. If an optimal response is not achieved within one week, the dosage should be increased to atenolol 100 mg given as one tablet a day. Some patients may require a dosage of 200 mg once a day for optimal effect. Twenty-four hour control with once daily dosing is achieved by giving doses larger than necessary to achieve an immediate maximum effect. The maximum early effect on exercise tolerance occurs with doses of 50 mg to 100 mg, but at these doses the effect at 24 hours is attenuated, averaging about 50% to 75% of that observed with once a day oral doses of 200 mg. Acute Myocardial Infarction In patients with definite or suspected acute myocardial infarction, treatment with atenolol I.V. injection should be initiated as soon as possible after…
Most adverse effects have been mild and transient. The frequency estimates in the following table were derived from controlled studies in hypertensive patients in which adverse reactions were either volunteered by the patient (U.S. studies) or elicited, e.g., by checklist (foreign studies). The reported frequency of elicited adverse effects was higher for both atenolol tablets and placebo-treated patients than when these reactions were volunteered. Where frequency of adverse effects of atenolol tablets and placebo is similar, causal relationship to atenolol tablets is uncertain. Volunteered (U.S. Studies) Total-Volunteered and Elicited (Foreign + U.S. Studies) Atenolol (n = 164) % Placebo (n = 206) % Atenolol (n = 399) % Placebo (n = 407) % CARDIOVASCULAR Bradycardia 3 0 3 0 Cold Extremities 0 0.5 12 5 Postural Hypotension 2 1 4 5 Leg Pain 0 0.5 3 1 CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM/NEUROMUSCULAR Dizziness 4 1 13 6 Vertigo 2 0.5 2 0.2 Light-headedness 1 0 3 0.7 Tiredness 0.6 0.5 26 13 Fatigue 3 1 6 5 Lethargy 1 0 3 0.7 Drowsiness 0.6 0 2 0.5 Depression 0.6 0.5 12 9 Dreaming 0 0 3 1 GASTROINTESTINAL Diarrhea 2 0 3 2 Nausea 4 1 3 1 RESPIRATORY (See WARNINGS ) Wheeziness 0 0 3 3 Dyspnea 0.6 1 6 4 Acute Myocardial Infarction In a series of investigations in the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, bradycardia and hypotension occurred more commonly, as expected for any beta-blocker, in…
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Typical price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 54/100 | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $1 | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Tablet | Generic | $1 |
Imprint codes, colour and shape from the FDA’s labelling data. Match the imprint on your pill — or search any imprint.
| Imprint | Strength | Colour | Shape | Maker |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATN;25 | 25 mg | white | round | — |
| ATN;50 | 50 mg | white | round | — |
| M;231 | 50 mg | white | round | — |
| M;757 | 100 mg | white | round | — |
| M;A2 | 25 mg | white | round | — |
| U;22 | 25 mg | white |
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
The elimination half-life of atenolol is about 6 to 7 hours. Atenolol is cleared mainly by the kidneys and has no significant active metabolites, so the half-life is much longer in older adults and in people with reduced kidney function (roughly 16 to 27+ hours when creatinine clearance falls below about 35 mL/min).
Atenolol Tablets USP 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg (DailyMed FDA label) ↗Half-life is how long the body takes to clear half a dose. It is not the same as how long a drug test can detect it, and it varies with age, kidney and liver function.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Atenolol tablets are contraindicated in sinus bradycardia, heart block greater than first degree, cardiogenic shock, and overt cardiac failure. (See WARNINGS .) Atenolol tablets are contraindicated in those patients with a history of hypersensitivity to the atenolol or any of the drug product’s components.
Catecholamine-depleting drugs (e.g., reserpine) may have an additive effect when given with beta-blocking agents. Patients treated with atenolol tablets plus a catecholamine depletor should therefore be closely observed for evidence of hypotension and/or marked bradycardia which may produce vertigo, syncope, or postural hypotension. Calcium channel blockers may also have an additive effect when given with atenolol tablets (see WARNINGS ). Disopyramide is a Type I antiarrhythmic drug with potent negative inotropic and chronotropic effects. Disopyramide has been associated with severe bradycardia, asystole and heart failure when administered with beta-blockers. Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic agent with negative chronotropic properties that may be additive to those seen with beta-blockers. Beta-blockers may exacerbate the rebound hypertension which can follow the withdrawal of clonidine. If the two drugs are coadministered, the beta-blocker should be withdrawn several days before the gradual withdrawal of clonidine. If replacing clonidine by beta-blocker therapy, the introduction of beta-blockers should be delayed for several days after clonidine administration has stopped. Concomitant use of prostaglandin synthase inhibiting drugs, e.g., indomethacin, may decrease the hypotensive effects of beta-blockers. Information on concurrent usage of atenolol and aspirin…
| capsule |
| — |
| U;2;1 | 50 mg | white | round | — |
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| U;20 | 100 mg | white | round | — |
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| D;23 | 100 mg | white | round | — |
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| TENORETIC;117 | 100 mg / 25 mg | white | round | — |
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| DAN;5782 | 50 mg / 25 mg | white | round | — |
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| 26;U | 100 mg / 25 mg | yellow | round | — |
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