Patient leaflet - ATENOLOL TABLETS BP 100 MG
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
- If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.
What is in this leaflet
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1. What Atenolol tablets are and what they are used for
2. What you need to know before you take Atenolol tablets
3. How to take Atenolol tablets
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Atenolol tablets
6. Contents of the pack and other information
1. What Atenolol tablets are and what they are used for
Atenolol belongs to a group of medicines called beta-blockers. It is used to:
- Treat high blood pressure (hypertension).
- Treat uneven heart beats (arrhythmias).
- Help prevent chest pain (angina).
- Protect the heart in the early treatment after a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
It works by making your heartbeat more slowly and with less force.
2. what you need to know before you take atenolol tablets
Do not take Atenolol tablets and tell your doctor if you:
- are allergic to atenolol or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (see section 6).
- have ever had any of the following heart problems:
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- heart failure which is not under control (this usually makes you breathless and causes your ankles to swell)
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- second or third-degree heart block (a condition which may be treated by a pacemaker)
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- very slow or very uneven heartbeats , very low blood pressure or very poor circulation.
- have a tumour called phaeochromocytoma that is not being treated. This is usually near your kidney and can cause high blood pressure. If you are being treated for phaeochromocytoma, your doctor will give you another medicine, called an alpha-blocker, to take as well as Atenolol tablets.
- have been told that you have higher than normal levels of acid in your blood (metabolic acidosis).
Warnings and Precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Atenolol tablets if you have:
- asthma, wheezing or any other similar breathing problems, or you get allergic reactions, for example to insect stings. If you have ever had asthma or wheezing, do not take this medicine without first checking with your doctor.
- a type of chest pain (angina) called Prinzmetal's angina.
- poor blood circulation or controlled heart failure.
- first-degree heart block.
- diabetes. Your medicine may change how you respond to having low blood sugar. You may feel your heart beating faster.
- thyrotoxicosis (a condition caused by an overactive thyroid gland). Your medicine may hide the symptoms of thyrotoxicosis.
- problems with your kidneys. You may need to have some check-ups during your treatment.
Other medicines and Atenolol tablets
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. Especially:
- clonidine (for high blood pressure or migraine). If you are taking clonidine and atenolol together, do not stop taking clonidine unless your doctor tells you to do so. If you have to stop taking clonidine, your doctor will give you careful instructions about how to do it.
- verapamil, diltiazem and nifedipine (for high blood pressure or chest pain).
- disopyramide or amiodarone (for an uneven heartbeat).
- digoxin (for heart problems).
- adrenaline, also known as epinephrine (a medicine that stimulates the heart).
- ibuprofen or indometacin (for pain and inflammation).
- insulin or medicines that you take by mouth for diabetes.
- medicines to treat nose or sinus congestion or other cold remedies (including those you can buy in the pharmacy).
If you go into hospital to have an operation, tell the anaesthetist or medical staff that you are taking Atenolol tablets. This is because you can get low blood pressure (hypotension) if you are given certain anaesthetics while you are taking Atenolol tablets.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Your medicine is not likely to affect you being able to drive or use any tools or machines. However, it is best to wait to see how your medicine affects you before trying these activities. If you feel dizzy or tired when taking this medicine, do not drive or use any tools or machines.
3. how to take atenolol tablets
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Your doctor will tell you how many tablets to take each day and when to take them. Read the label on the carton to remind you what the doctor said. Try to take your tablet at the same time each day.
The recommended dose is:
Adults and children over 12 years of age
- High blood pressure (hypertension): 50–100mg a day.
- Chest pain (angina): 100mg a day, as a single dose or 50mg twice a day.
- Uneven heartbeats (arrhythmias): 50–100mg a day.
- The early treatment of a heart attack (myocardial infaction): 50–100mg to be taken once a day.
Elderly
If you are an elderly person, your doctor may decide to give you a lower dose, particularly if you have problems with your kidneys.
People with severe kidney problems
If you have severe kidney problems your doctor may decide to give you a lower dose.
Use in children under 12 years of age
This medicine must not be given to children.
The score line is only there to help you break the tablet if you have difficulty swallowing it whole.
If you take more Atenolol tablets than you should
If you have taken more than the prescribed dose, contact your nearest casualty department or tell your doctor or pharmacist at once. Symptoms of an overdose include a slow or irregular heartbeat, low blood pressure, difficulty breathing due to fluid on the lungs, acute impaired heart function and shock, fainting.
If you forget to take Atenolol tablets
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking Atenolol tablets
Do not stop taking Atenolol tablets without talking to your doctor. In some cases, you may need to stop taking it gradually.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
4. possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Contact your doctor at once if you have the following:
If you have an allergic reaction. Signs may include raised lumps on your skin (weals), or swelling of your face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following side effects, they get worse or you notice any not listed:
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
- You may notice that your pulse rate becomes slower while you are taking the tablets. This is normal, but if you are concerned please tell your doctor about it
- Cold hands and feet
- Diarrhoea, feeling sick (nausea)
- Feeling tired.
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
- Disturbed sleep
- Changes in liver enzymes which may cause yellowing of the skin or eyes, abdominal swelling, itchy skin, tiredness.
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
- Heart block (which can cause dizziness, abnormal heartbeat, tiredness or fainting)
- Numbness and spasm in your fingers which is followed by warmth and pain (Raynaud’s disease)
- Mood changes (including depression), nightmares, feeling confused, changes in personality (psychoses) or hallucinations, headache, dizziness (particularly when standing up), tingling of your hands
- Being unable to get an erection (impotence)
- Dry mouth
- Dry eyes, disturbances of vision
- Thinning of your hair
- Skin rash
- Reduced numbers of platelets in your blood (this may make you bruise more easily)
- Purplish marks on your skin
- Liver problems which may cause itching, darkened urine, tiredness, loss of appetite
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)
- Changes to some of the cells or other parts of your blood. Your doctor may take blood samples every so often to check whether atenolol has had any effect on your blood.
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
- Lupus-like syndrome (a disease where the immune system produces antibodies that attacks mainly skin and joints).
Conditions that may get worse
If you have any of the following conditions, they may get worse when you start to take your medicine. This happens rarely affecting up to 1 in 1,000 people.
- Psoriasis (a skin condition).
- Being short of breath or having swollen ankles (if you have heart failure).
- Asthma or breathing problems.
- Poor circulation.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. how to store atenolol tablets
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not store above 25°C.
Store in the original package.
Keep container in the outer carton.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date stated on the label/carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not throw away medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines you no longer need. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. contents of the pack and other information the active substance is atenolol. each tablet contains either 25mg, 50mg or 100mg of the active substance.
- The other ingredients are: Calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate, silica colloidal anhydrous, magnesium stearate, maize starch, crospovidone, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, hydrogenated vegetable oil, titanium dioxide (E171), microcrystalline cellulose (E460), hypromellose 5cP (E464), purified talc (E553).
What Atenolol tablets look like and the contents of the pack
Atenolol 25mg tablets are white, circular, biconvex film-coated tablets impressed “A” on one side and “I” on the other side of a score line on one face, plain on the reverse. Atenolol 50mg tablets are white, circular, biconvex film-coated tablets impressed “A” on one side and “H” on the other side of a score line on one face, plain on the reverse.
Atenolol 100mg tablets are white, circular, biconvex film-coated tablets impressed “A” on one side and “J” on the other side of a score line on one face, plain on the reverse.
Pack size is 28.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Accord, Barnstaple, EX32 8NS, UK.
This leaflet was last revised in March 2021.