Details

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. 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. 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 etc.

Typical Uses

Atenolol is used with or without other medications to treat high blood pressure (hypertension). Lowering high blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems. This medication is also used to treat chest pain (angina) and to improve survival after a heart attack. Atenolol belongs to a class of drugs known as beta blockers. It works by blocking the action of certain natural chemicals in your body, such as epinephrine, on the heart and blood vessels. This effect lowers the heart rate, blood pressure, and strain on the heart. This medication may also be used to treat irregular heartbeat, heart failure, alcohol withdrawal symptoms, and to prevent migraine headaches.

Side Effects

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience 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-coloured stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) depression or cold feeling in your hands and feet.

Drug Interactions

• Atenolol+atazanavir- Using atazanavir together with atenolol can increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious. You should seek immediate medical attention if you develop sudden dizziness, light-headedness, fainting, or irregular heartbeat during treatment with these drugs, whether together or alone.

• Atenolol+theophylline- Ask your doctor before using atenolol together with theophylline. Using these medications together can make atenolol less effective and increase the effects of theophylline.

• Atenolol+verapamil- Using atenolol and verapamil together may lead to increased side effects. This can cause fatigue, headache, fainting, swelling of the extremities, weight gain, shortness of breath, chest pain, increased or decreased heartbeat, or irregular heartbeat.

• Atenolol+dolasetron- Talk to your doctor before using dolasetron together with atenolol. Combining these medications can increase the risk of an irregular heart rhythm that may be serious. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use both medications.

• Atenolol+fingolimod- Before starting fingolimod, let your doctor know if you are currently receiving treatment with atenolol. Using fingolimod in this situation can cause excessive slowing of your heart rate that can lead to serious or life-threatening cardiac complications. This is most likely to occur early on after you start treatment with fingolimod, especially within the first 20 hours after the first dose.

Mechanism of action

One of the important functions of beta-adrenergic nerves is to stimulate the heart muscle to beat more rapidly. By blocking the stimulation by these nerves, atenolol reduces the heart rate and is useful in treating abnormally rapid heart rhythms. Atenolol also reduces the force of contraction of heart muscle and lowers blood pressure. By reducing the heart rate, the force of muscle contraction and the blood pressure against which the heart must pump, atenolol reduces the work of heart muscle and the need of the muscle for oxygen. Since angina occurs when oxygen demand of the heart muscle exceeds the supply, atenolol is helpful in treating angina.

Pregnancy Category : D