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| Pronunciation |
|
 (a
TEN oh
lole) |
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| Brand Names |
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| Tenormin® |
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| Foreign Brand
Names |
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| Apo-Atenol® (Canada); Novo-Atenol (Canada);
Nu-Atenol (Canada); Taro-Atenol®
(Canada) |
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| Therapeutic
Categories |
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|
Beta Blocker, Beta1 Selective |
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| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
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|
- If you have an allergy to another beta-blocking agent, atenolol, or
any other part of the medicine.
- If you have any of the following conditions: Weakened heart
(congestive heart failure) whose symptoms are poorly controlled, slow heart rate
(bradycardia) without a working pacemaker.
- If you are more than 12 weeks
pregnant.
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| What is this medicine used
for? |
|
|
- This medicine is used to treat high blood pressure, chest pain, or
pressure from the heart. This is called angina.
- It prevents unusual heartbeats, called arrhythmias, and/or slows the
heart rate (pulse) in patients with a fast one.
- Other treatments include prevention of migraine headache, aggressive
behavior, antipsychotic-induced akathisia, essential tremor, the prevention of
rebleeding from esophageal varices in cirrhosis, and situational or performance
anxiety.
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| How does it work? |
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- Atenolol blocks chemicals such as adrenaline. It prevents them from
increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen use. Atenolol slows the body
down a bit.
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| How is it best taken? |
|
|
- Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an
upset stomach.
- Take at a similar time every day.
- Do not take antacids or calcium supplements less than 2 hours before
or 6 hours after this medicine.
- Tablet can be crushed and mixed with food or liquid.
- Do not suddenly stop using this medicine if you have been taking it
for a long time. Medicine should be slowly
decreased.
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| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
|
|
- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with
healthcare provider. This could be
dangerous.
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| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
|
|
- Check medicines with healthcare provider, especially with amiodarone,
diltiazem, and verapamil.
- Wear disease medical alert identification for heart disease.
- It is dangerous to run out of this medication. Get it refilled today!
- Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) and other medicines
and herbs that slow your actions and reactions. This includes sedatives,
tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, or pain medicine. Talk with healthcare
provider.
- Use caution if you have a weakened heart. Can worsen symptoms. Talk
with healthcare provider.
- If you are diabetic, use caution when low blood sugars are seen. This
medicine hides signs of low blood sugar except sweating. Talk with healthcare
provider.
- Use caution if you have lung disease. This includes asthma, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, or if you are using an inhaler like albuterol or
ipratropium. Can cause wheezing or spasm in the lung.
- Do not use over-the-counter products that increase blood pressure.
These include cough or cold remedies, diet pills, stimulants, ibuprofen or like
products, and certain herbs or supplements. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Do not use in pregnancy and do not get pregnant. Use birth control
that you can trust while taking this medicine.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are
breast-feeding.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
|
|
- Feeling sleepy or lightheaded. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or
activities that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects
you.
- Dizziness is common. Rise slowly over several minutes from sitting or
lying position. Be careful climbing stairs.
- Change in sexual ability or desire. This can return to normal after
medicine is stopped. Talk with healthcare provider about other medicines without
this side effect.
- Slow heart rate (pulse) and/or low blood pressure. This may make you
feel lightheaded, dizzy, weak, or
tired.
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| What should I monitor? |
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- Watch for swelling of legs or belly, shortness of breath, weight gain,
exercise tolerance. If any of these worsen, talk with healthcare provider.
- Report a 3-5 pound weight gain if you have heart failure.
- Check blood pressure regularly.
- Follow diet plan and exercise program as recommended by healthcare
provider.
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| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
|
|
- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Too tired or sleepy.
- Passing out, fainting, dizziness, or lightheadedness.
- Chest pains, fast heartbeats, shortness of breath, or decreased
ability to walk.
- Any rash.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
|
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- Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room
temperature.
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| General statements |
|
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- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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