Atenolol
Atenolan, Atenolol, Tenormin · ATC code C07AB03
- Key facts
- Active substance
- Atenolol
- Drug class
- Beta blocker
- ATC code
- C07AB03
- Authorisation
- authorised nationally; no central EU authorisation
- Information as of
- 2026-10-29
Key facts
Atenolol is, per the US prescribing information, a beta₁-selective (cardioselective) beta-blocker used to treat hypertension, angina pectoris and acute myocardial infarction.
What it is used for
- Hypertension, alone or together with other antihypertensive agents.
- Long-term management of angina pectoris due to coronary atherosclerosis.
- Hemodynamically stable patients with definite or suspected acute myocardial infarction, to reduce cardiovascular mortality.
Dosing
- Hypertension: start with 50 mg once daily; if the response is not optimal, 100 mg once daily; doses beyond 100 mg a day are unlikely to add benefit.
- Angina pectoris: start with 50 mg once daily, increase to 100 mg after one week if needed; some patients need 200 mg once daily.
- Acute myocardial infarction: intravenous dosing first, then tablets (50 mg, later 100 mg once daily or 50 mg twice a day) – see the full text for the scheme.
- Severe renal impairment or elderly patients: creatinine clearance 15-35 mL/min/1.73 m² maximum 50 mg daily, below 15 mL/min/1.73 m² maximum 25 mg daily; hemodialysis: 25 mg or 50 mg after each dialysis under hospital supervision.
Contraindications
- Sinus bradycardia, heart block greater than first degree, cardiogenic shock, overt cardiac failure.
- Hypersensitivity to atenolol or any of the product's components.
Important warnings
- Cessation of therapy: patients with coronary artery disease should not stop abruptly – severe exacerbation of angina, myocardial infarction and ventricular arrhythmias have been reported.
- Cardiac failure: beta blockade can further depress myocardial contractility and precipitate or worsen heart failure.
- Bronchospastic disease: patients should in general not receive beta-blockers; atenolol only with caution at the lowest possible dose.
- Hypoglycemia: warning signs such as tachycardia may be masked, with a higher risk of severe hypoglycemia, especially in diabetes, children and fasting patients.
- Thyrotoxicosis: signs of hyperthyroidism may be masked; abrupt withdrawal might precipitate a thyroid storm.
- Do not give in untreated pheochromocytoma; caution with verapamil or diltiazem (bradycardia, heart block).
Side effects
- Mostly mild and transient.
- In controlled hypertension studies (volunteered and elicited) included: tiredness 26%, dizziness 13%, cold extremities 12%, depression 12%, dyspnea 6%, bradycardia 3%.
- In acute myocardial infarction, bradycardia and hypotension occurred more often than with placebo.
Interactions
- Catecholamine-depleting drugs (e.g. reserpine): additive effect with hypotension and/or marked bradycardia.
- Calcium channel blockers, disopyramide and amiodarone may add to the cardiac effects.
- Clonidine: beta-blockers may exacerbate rebound hypertension after clonidine withdrawal; withdraw the beta-blocker several days before gradually withdrawing clonidine.
- Prostaglandin synthase inhibitors such as indomethacin may decrease the antihypertensive effect.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- Atenolol can cause fetal harm; use starting in the second trimester has been associated with infants small for gestational age.
- Atenolol is excreted in breast milk; clinically significant bradycardia has been reported in breastfed infants.
Summary of the official product information, written with AI on 2026-10-29. Every number was checked automatically against the original text. Not reviewed by a physician – the full official text is authoritative.
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For patients
Patient information (US)
This product has no separate US patient information.
Authorisation and brand names by country
Medicines with exactly this active-substance composition, as listed in the national registers – alphabetical and without ranking. Whether a product is currently available is not shown here.
Austria
- AtenolanG.L. Pharma Gmbh · 1 register entry
- Atenolol1a Pharma Gmbh, Genericon Pharma Gesellschaft M.B.H., Stada Arzneimittel Gmbh · 3 register entries
- TenorminAtnahs Pharma Netherlands B.V. · 2 register entries
Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-29
Germany
- Atenolol1 A Pharma Gmbh, Ratiopharm Gmbh, Heumann Pharma Gmbh & Co. Generica Kg, Stadapharm Gmbh, Denk Pharma Gmbh & Co. Kg, Abz-Pharma Gmbh, Aliud Pharma Gmbh · 7 register entries
- TenorminAtnahs Pharma Netherlands B.V. · 1 register entry
Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-29
Turkey
- As-AtensAPOTEX İLAÇ SAN VE TİC. LTD. ŞTİ. · 1 register entry
- TensinorABDİ İBRAHİM İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 3 register entries
Source: TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, as of 2026-10-16
USA
- TenorminUpsher-Smith Laboratories, LLC · 1 register entry
Source: U.S. FDA – Drug labels (openFDA/DailyMed), as of 2026-10-29
Brand names in 25 more European countries
- Belgium
- Atenolol Eg, Atenolol Teva, Tenormin
- Bulgaria
- Атенолол Софарма
- Croatia
- Atenolol Pliva, Ormidol
- Cyprus
- Ikelan, Vascoten, Velorin
- Czechia
- Atehexal, Atenobene, Atenolol Al, Tenormin
- Denmark
- Atenodan, Atenolol Medical Valley, Atenolol Orifarm
- Estonia
- Atenolol Ratiopharm
- Finland
- Atenblock, Tenoprin
- France
- Atenolol Accord Healthcare, Atenolol Arrow, Atenolol Biogaran, Atenolol Cristers, Atenolol Eg, Atenolol Evolugen Pharma, Atenolol Sandoz, Atenolol Sfdb, Atenolol Teva, Atenolol Viatris, Atenolol Zentiva, Atenolol Zydus, Tenormine
- Greece
- Azectol, Neocardon, Tenormin
- Hungary
- Atenobene, Prinorm
- Iceland
- Atenolol Viatris
- Ireland
- Atecor, Atenomel
- Italy
- Atenol, Atenololo Abc, Atenololo Ahcl, Atenololo Almus, Atenololo Aurobindo Italia, Atenololo Doc Generici, Atenololo Eg, Atenololo Hexal, Atenololo Mylan Generics, Atenololo Pensa, Atenololo Ratiopharm, Seles Beta, Tenormin, Tensiblock
- Lithuania
- Atenolol Ratiopharm, Ikelan
- Luxembourg
- Atenolol Eg, Tenormin
- Malta
- Atecor, Atenolol
- Netherlands
- Atenolol Accord, Atenolol Aurobindo, Atenolol Cf, Atenolol Sandoz, Atenolol Teva, Atenolol Xiromed
- Norway
- Atenolol Medical Valley, Atenolol Viatris
- Portugal
- Atenlolol Ratiopharm, Atenolol Alter, Atenolol Azevedos, Atenolol Bluepharma, Atenolol Generis, Atenolol Ratiopharm, Atenolol Sandoz, Tenormin
- Romania
- Atenolol Arena, Atenolol Lph Labermomed, Atenolol Lph Labormed
- Slovakia
- Atenobene
- Slovenia
- Ormidol
- Spain
- Atenolol Alter, Atenolol Aurovitas, Atenolol Cinfa, Atenolol Combix, Atenolol Normon, Atenolol Sandoz, Blokium
- Sweden
- Atenolol Accord, Atenolol Medical Valley, Atenolol Orifarm, Atenolol Teva, Atenolol Viatris
EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29
Medelix receives no money from pharmaceutical companies. Brand names are listed alphabetically and without ranking.
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Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Atenolol (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc.) – Prescribing Information, 2026-02-15. DailyMed (NLM), 2026-10-29. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=a7048c81-6769-436b-8397-fbaa7489fcdf
- EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
- EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
- TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, 2026-10-16. https://www.titck.gov.tr/dinamikmodul/85
- U.S. FDA – Drug labels (openFDA/DailyMed), 2026-10-29. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/
- Wikidata (CC0): ATC C07AB.
Editorial: Medelix editorial team · last updated 2026-10-29 · How these pages are made · Report an error
Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), prescribing information, via DailyMed (NLM); public domain. Not advertising, not a treatment recommendation. For questions about your own treatment, ask your doctor or pharmacist.