Nadolol, sold under the brand name Corgard, is a medication that helps treat high blood pressure and chest pain caused by angina. It helps relax your heart muscles and blood vessels, reducing how much your heart has to work to pump blood.
It also has some uses that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved, and some doctors prescribe it to treat other heart conditions.
Keep in mind that nadolol has a black box warning from the FDA. A black box warning means that the medication can cause dangerous side effects, but these won’t affect everyone.
How does it work?
Nadolol is a beta-blocker that helps reduce heart rate and relax blood vessels so blood can flow more easily through the body. High blood pressure, or hypertension, occurs when the heart has to work extra hard to pump blood through the body.
The American Heart Association (AHA) defines high blood pressure as higher than 130/80 mm Hg. Between 2017 and 2020, 115.3 million adults in the United States had high blood pressure.
Beta-blockers block the effects of stress hormones like adrenaline on the heart and blood vessels. By blocking these hormones, beta-blockers help the heart muscles and the blood vessels relax, allowing for an easier flow of blood and a lowered blood pressure.
It can take up to a few weeks for the medication to exert its full effect.
Nadolol uses
Doctors mainly prescribe Nadolol (Corgard) to treat hypertension and angina, which is chest pain that happens when your heart does not get enough blood. Nadolol helps manage these conditions but does not cure them, so it’s important to keep taking the medication even if you feel well.
Keep in mind that doctors consider nadolol a second-line treatment for high blood pressure. You should only use it when your healthcare professional prescribes beta blockers to manage the condition.
Sometimes, doctors prescribe nadolol off-label to treat and manage the following conditions:
- different kinds of irregular heartbeat, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular fibrillation
- bleeding from enlarged veins (varices) in your esophagus, called gastroesophageal variceal hemorrhage
- abnormally high levels of some thyroid hormones, called thyrotoxicosis
- anxiety, especially physical symptoms caused by an increased heart rate
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Side effects
Nadolol can cause adverse effects, and some of them can be serious.
Common side effects of nadolol include:
- tiredness and fatigue
- dizziness
- coughing
- nausea and diarrhea
Some serious side effects include:
- irregular heartbeat
- low blood pressure, or hypotension
- swelling of the face
- unexplained weight gain
- allergic reaction to nadolol
If you experience any of these adverse effects or the common, milder side effects persist, be sure to contact a healthcare professional.
Also, bear in mind that nadolol has a black box warning from the FDA, which means that the medication can cause dangerous side effects.
Dangerous side effects can occur when you suddenly stop taking the medication. This can lead to irregular heartbeat, severe high blood pressure, stroke, and heart attack.
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Get free cardHow to take it safely
Nadolol is an oral tablet that you take once per day. If your healthcare professional prescribes you nadolol, they may start you on a low dose and then gradually increase it.
The starting dosage of nadolol is 40 mg a day. Nadolol tablets usually come in doses of 20 mg, 40 mg, and 80 mg.
People with high blood pressure, for example, commonly start with a dosage of 40 mg a day. Healthcare professionals will gradually increase the dose so that the body adjusts to the medication and aids effective management.
According to the FDA, a doctor will increase your dose in 40 to 80 mg increments.
You can take nadolol with or without food, and remember to take it every day around the same time to ensure medication adherence.
The most important thing to remember is to follow the FDA’s black box warning and not stop the medication suddenly. A healthcare professional will slowly reduce the dose (known as tapering) so your body gradually gets used to the change.
If your doctor prescribes nadolol, be sure to tell them about other medications and supplements you’re taking. Nadolol can interact with other medications and substances, such as:
- heart medications like diltiazem (Cardziem)
- asthma medications like albuterol
- diabetes medications like insulin and metformin
- diuretics
- allergy medications like epinephrine
- green tea
- alcohol
Summary
Nadolol is a medication that helps treat and manage chest pain (angina) and high blood pressure.
Nadolol is a beta-blocker. It helps reduce blood pressure by blocking the effect of stress hormones like adrenaline on the heart muscles and blood vessels.
This means the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood through the body. It reduces the heart rate and relaxes blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily. This all leads to a lower blood pressure.
Nadolol can lead to some adverse effects, like dizziness and fatigue. It can also cause serious side effects, like irregular heartbeat and chest pain. Do not stop taking nadolol suddenly, as this can lead to serious side effects. Talk with a healthcare professional if you experience any of these side effects.
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