Atenolol

Written by Sarah Lewis, PharmD
Medically reviewed by Dena Westphalen, PharmD
Updated on June 30, 2023

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved atenolol for use in adults to:

• treat high blood pressure
• manage angina (a type of chest pain) due to coronary artery disease
• reduce the risk of dying after a heart attack

These approved uses differ based on the form of atenolol your doctor prescribes.

This article describes atenolol’s uses, side effects, and more. You’ll also find some coupon options to help save on the cost of atenolol.

Boxed warning: Risk of harm from suddenly stopping the drug in people with coronary artery disease

Atenolol has a boxed warning about the risk of harm from suddenly stopping the drug in people with coronary artery disease. Boxed warnings are the most serious warnings from the FDA.

For details, see the “Interactions and warnings for atenolol” section.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves prescription drugs such as atenolol for certain conditions. Approved uses for atenolol are described below.

Use for certain heart and blood vessel conditions

Doctors may prescribe atenolol oral tablet for treating the following conditions:

• high blood pressure
• angina (a type of chest pain) due to coronary artery disease (CAD)

Doctors may also prescribe atenolol after a heart attack to reduce the risk of dying.

It’s prescribed for these purposes in adults. It’s usually prescribed as a long-term treatment.

With high blood pressure, people usually don’t have any symptoms. But high blood pressure is a serious condition because it can cause life threatening complications. This includes heart attack and stroke.

With angina, chest pain comes and goes. The most common cause of angina is CAD. With CAD, the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle become clogged with plaque. (Plaque is a buildup of a fatty, waxy substance.) Clogged blood vessels don’t allow enough oxygenated blood to reach the heart muscle. This causes chest pain.

With a heart attack, a lack of oxygenated blood damages the heart muscle. Parts of the heart muscle may even die after a heart attack. As a result, the heart can’t pump blood as well as it should. Drugs that make it easier for the heart to pump can help increase the chance of survival after a heart attack.

Atenolol can be prescribed together with other medications to treat heart and blood vessel conditions.

Doctors may not prescribe atenolol oral tablet in certain situations, such as for people with very slow heart rates or severe heart failure.

Below you’ll find answers to some commonly asked questions about atenolol.

Is it safe to take atenolol with amlodipine or chlorthalidone?

Yes, it’s safe to take atenolol with amlodipine or chlorthalidone. Atenolol works with either of these drugs to lower blood pressure more than it will if you take atenolol by itself. In fact, there’s a medication that combines atenolol and chlorthalidone into one product. It’s called Tenoretic.

To learn more about taking atenolol with other drugs, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

What brand names are available for atenolol?

Atenolol is available as a brand-name drug called Tenormin.

A generic medication is an identical copy of the active drug in a brand-name medication. (An active drug is the ingredient that makes a medication work.) Generics usually cost less than brand-name drugs. And they’re thought to be as safe and effective as the brand-name versions.

If you’d like to know more about Tenormin, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Can atenolol be used for anxiety?

Possibly. Doctors can prescribe atenolol for anxiety, but it isn’t approved for this use. It’s called off-label use when doctors prescribe a drug for conditions other than its approved uses.

Beta-blockers don’t get rid of anxiety, but they can help reduce its symptoms. These include shakiness, sweating, or a racing heart.

Talk with your doctor if you’d like to know more about taking atenolol for anxiety.

Is atenolol similar to metoprolol? How would a doctor convert my dose from one to the other?

Yes, atenolol is like metoprolol. They’re both beta-blockers, and they treat similar health problems. They also have similar side effects and warnings.

To change from one drug to the other, doctors use a dosage conversion table. This table gives equivalent (equal in strength) doses of drugs in the same group of medications. Doctors can then fine-tune the dosage as needed.

To learn more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

How does atenolol work? And how long does it take to start working?

Atenolol works by relaxing your blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure. Lowering your blood pressure makes it easier for your heart to pump blood. This is because there’s less resistance to pump against. Atenolol also slows your heart rate. This also helps reduce the work your heart has to do.

Atenolol starts working within an hour of taking it. You’ll see its full effects after about 2 weeks.

If you’d like to know more about this, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Atenolol may cause mild or serious side effects. More common mild side effects of atenolol and its serious side effects are listed below. This article doesn’t include all possible side effects of the drug. Side effects can vary based on your age, overall health, and any other medications you take.

To learn more about atenolol’s side effects, see this article or ask your doctor or pharmacist. You can also refer to the prescribing information for atenolol listed in the “Article resources” section.

Mild side effects

More common mild side effects reported with some forms of atenolol are listed below.

This article doesn’t include all possible mild side effects of the drug. To learn more about atenolol’s side effects based on the form, refer to the prescribing information for atenolol listed in the “Article resources” section.

With many drugs, mild side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If the side effects are bothersome, tell your doctor or pharmacist. They may be able to suggest ways to manage them.

Mild side effects of atenolol oral tablet include:

• cold hands or feet
• dizziness
• mild shortness of breath
• tiredness
• mild allergic reaction*

* For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for atenolol” section.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects of atenolol are listed below.

This article doesn’t include all possible serious side effects of the drug. To learn more about atenolol’s side effects based on the form, refer to the prescribing information for atenolol listed in the “Article resources” section.

With many drugs, serious side effects are possible but not common. If you have serious side effects from this drug, call your doctor right away. If you’re having severe symptoms or a medical emergency, call 911 or a local emergency number.

In general, atenolol’s serious side effects include:

• depression
• sudden low blood pressure when you stand up, which can cause fainting
• slow heart rate
• boxed warning: risk of harm from suddenly stopping the drug in people with coronary artery disease*
• severe allergic reaction*

* For details about this side effect, see the “Interactions and warnings for atenolol” section.

Below, you’ll find information about atenolol’s possible interactions and warnings.

Interactions of atenolol

Certain things may affect how a drug works. These include getting vaccines, consuming alcohol or certain foods, or taking the drug with other medications. This effect is called a drug interaction.

Before you take atenolol, ask your doctor to check for possible interactions. Be sure to tell them about any of the following you take or use:

• prescription or over-the-counter drugs
• vitamins, herbs, or supplements

To learn about drug-condition interactions, see the “Warnings for atenolol” section below.

Warnings for atenolol

Some people should not take atenolol, and others should take it cautiously.

Boxed warning: Risk of harm from suddenly stopping the drug in people with coronary artery disease

Atenolol has a boxed warning about the risk of harm from suddenly stopping the drug in people with coronary artery disease (CAD). Boxed warnings are the most serious warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

In people with CAD, suddenly stopping atenolol can lead to serious side effects. These include severe angina attacks (a type of chest pain), abnormal heart rhythms, and heart attack.

Symptoms of these heart problems may include:

• chest pain or discomfort
• heart palpitations (feeling that your heart has skipped or added a beat)
• nausea
• pain in the jaw, neck, shoulder, or arm
• shortness of breath

If you have any of these symptoms, seek immediate medical care or call 911.

Due to the risk of life threatening side effects, you should not stop taking atenolol without talking with your doctor. They can recommend a safe way to do it. Even if you don’t have CAD, it’s important to stop atenolol safely. Because CAD doesn’t always cause symptoms, you may not know you have it.

To learn more about this warning, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Other warnings

Atenolol could cause harm to people with certain health conditions. This effect is called a drug-condition interaction. Other factors can also affect whether atenolol is a safe option for you.

Ask your doctor about specific warnings for atenolol, and be sure to tell your doctor about your:

• current health, including any allergies to medications
• past health conditions or surgeries

Allergic reaction

Atenolol can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Severe allergic reactions are rare but possible.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to atenolol or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe atenolol. They can tell you about medications that are safer options for you.

A mild allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:

• skin rash
• itchiness
• flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)

A severe allergic reaction may cause the following symptoms:

• swelling under your skin, usually in your hands, feet, eyelids, or lips
• swelling of your mouth, throat, or tongue, which can cause breathing problems

If you have an allergic reaction to atenolol, call your doctor right away. If you have severe symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number.

Overdose of atenolol

If you take atenolol by mouth, you should not take more atenolol than your doctor prescribes. For some drugs, doing so may lead to harmful effects or overdose.

If you think you’ve taken too much atenolol, call your doctor or pharmacist right away. Or you could call 800-222-1222 to speak with someone at America’s Poison Centers. You can also use its online resource. If you have concerning symptoms, call 911 or a local emergency number immediately. You can also go to the closest emergency room.

Pregnancy or breastfeeding and atenolol

Information about atenolol and pregnancy and breastfeeding is described below.

Atenolol and pregnancy

There are risks to taking atenolol during pregnancy. But there are also risks associated with having untreated high blood pressure or heart problems while pregnant. (Keep in mind that atenolol is prescribed for these conditions.)

If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor about your treatment options during pregnancy. Together, you can discuss the risks and benefits of your treatment options and decide whether you should take atenolol during pregnancy.

Atenolol and breastfeeding

Atenolol may or may not be safe to take while breastfeeding. There are risks to taking atenolol while breastfeeding, such as a slow heart rate or low blood sugar in a child who is breastfed. That said, ask your doctor about whether they feel it’s safe for you.

This article describes atenolol’s uses and side effects, ways to save on cost, and more. Let your doctor know if you have questions about atenolol or would like more details about it.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• Is there a best time of day to take atenolol?
• Do any of my other medications interact with atenolol?
• Do any of my other medical conditions cause problems with atenolol?
• How does atenolol compare with other drugs that could treat my condition?

• Atenolol tablets USP 25 mg, 50 mg and 100 mg. (2023). https://nctr-crs.fda.gov/fdalabel/services/spl/set-ids/8501f6c1-8157-4189-e053-2a91aa0ac4ef/spl-doc
• Food and Drug Administration. (2023). Orange Book: Approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/ob/index.cfm

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.