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Nadolol 80 mg Tablets – patient leaflet, side effects, dosage

Last updated: · Text from the MHRA, as of · About this document

Medicine status: Prescription only (POM) Details

Medicine strength:
80 mg
Contains active substance:
ATC code:

Patient leaflet - Nadolol 80 mg tablets

1. What Nadolol Tablets are and what they are used for

Nadolol Tablets contain a medicine called nadolol. This belongs to a group of medicines called beta-blockers. It works by slowing your heart rate or lowering your blood pressure.

Nadolol Tablets are used for:

  • Chest pain (angina)
  • High blood pressure
  • Uneven or unusually fast heart beats (arrhythmia)
  • Symptoms of an overactive thyroid gland
  • Stopping migraine attacks happening

2. What you need to know before you take Nadolol Tablets

Do not take Nadolol Tablets

× if you are allergic to nadolol or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6). Signs of an allergic reaction include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue.

× if you have or have had asthma, or wheezing. × if you have a very slow heartbeat.

× if you have heart problems – where you have difficulty breathing and swollen ankles.

Do not take this medicine if any of the above apply to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Nadolol Tablets.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Nadolol Tablets.

In particular check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking your medicine if:

  • You have any heart problems.
  • You have breathing problems due to long term. lung problems (called ‘bronchitis’ or ‘emphysema’).
  • You have diabetes. Nadolol Tablets may cause low blood sugar levels even in patients who are not diabetic such as children, the elderly and those who are fasting.
  • You have liver problems.
  • You have an overactive thyroid gland.
  • You have kidney problems.
  • You have a history of severe allergies. If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Nadolol Tablets.

Hypoglycaemic seizures

In children, the blood sugar lowering effect of Nadolol tablets can occur more rapidly. This can sometimes lead to seizures.

842773 90004267/13 Stress tests

The accuracy of stress tests (used by your doctor to find out whether you have a decrease in blood flow to your heart muscle) is affected by the use of beta-blockers including Nadolol.

Operations or anaesthetics

Tell your doctor or dentist you are taking Nadolol Tablets if you are going to have an anaesthetic or an operation (including dental surgery).

Other medicines and Nadolol Tablets

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.

This is because Nadolol Tablets can affect the way some other medicines work. Also some medicines can affect the way Nadolol Tablets work.

In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following:

  • Water tablets (diuretics) such as amiloride
  • Insulin or tablets to treat diabetes
  • Medicines for high blood pressure (such as guanethidine or hydralazine)
  • Medicines for depression (mono-amine oxidase inhibitors) such as phenelzine
  • Medicines used for migraine (such as clonidine, ergotamine or methysergide)
  • Medicines used for asthma, bowel problems or Parkinson’s disease (such as atropine, ipratropium and benzatropine)
  • Medicines for chest pain (angina) - such as verapamil, nifedipine, and diltiazem
  • Medicines used for heart problems - such as lidocaine (also used as a local anaesthetic), procainamide, isoprenaline, verapamil, adrenaline (also used for severe allergies), noradrenaline, amiodarone, disopyramide and quinidine
  • Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) – used to relieve pain (such as ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac, indometacin and piroxicam)
  • Medicines used for mental problems (antipsychotic medicines) – such as chlorpromazine, fluphenazine and haloperidol
  • Medicines used to raise blood pressure (vasoconstrictors – used to narrow blood vessels) – such as ephedrine and phenylephrine
  • Fingolimod - a medicine used for multiple sclerosis
  • Diltiazem as it may lead to increased risk of depression

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 or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

You should not breast-feed if you are taking Nadolol Tablets. This is because small amounts may pass into the mothers milk. If you are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.

Driving and using machines

You may feel tired or dizzy whilst taking Nadolol Tablets. If this happens, do not drive or use any tools or machines.

3. How to take Nadolol Tablets

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

Taking this medicine:

  • Take this medicine by mouth.
  • Swallow the tablets with a drink of water.
  • If you feel the effect of your medicine is too weak or too strong, do not change the dose yourself, but ask your doctor.

The recommended dose:

The dose of Nadolol Tablets depends on your needs and the illness being treated. Your doctor will advise you. Chest pain (angina)

  • 40 mg (half a tablet) to 160 mg (2 tablets) each day High blood pressure
  • 80 mg (1 tablet) to 240 mg (3 tablets) each day

    Uneven or unusually fast heart beats (arrhythmias)

    • 40 mg (half a tablet) to 160 mg (2 tablets) each day Stop migraine attacks happening
    • 40 mg (half a tablet) to 160 mg (2 tablets) each day Overactive thyroid gland
    • 80 mg (1 tablet) to 160 mg (2 tablets) each day

Use in elderly patients and patients with kidney problems

Your doctor may decide to lower your dose of Nadolol Tablets if necessary.

Use in children

Nadolol Tablets should not be given to children.

If you take more Nadolol Tablets than you should

If you take more Nadolol Tablets than you should, tell a doctor or go to a hospital casualty department straight away. Take the medicine pack with you. This is so the doctors know what you have taken. The following effects may happen: feeling dizzy or weak, difficulty in breathing or wheezing, seizures caused by low blood sugar.

If you forget to take Nadolol Tablets

Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you stop taking Nadolol tablets

Keep taking Nadolol Tablets until your doctor tells you to stop. If you stop treatment suddenly your illness may get worse. When your doctor says that you can stop taking Nadolol Tablets, you need to do this gradually. Your doctor will help you do this.

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.

Stop taking Nadolol Tablets and see a doctor or go to a hospital straight away if:

  • You have an allergic reaction. The signs may include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue.

Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you have any of the following side effects:

Common reported side effects

(may affect up to 1 in 10 people)

  • Pain in your chest and feeling weak or dizzy. These could be signs of heart problems.
  • Slow heart rate
  • Feeling dizzy or weak. These could be signs of low blood pressure

Uncommon reported side effects

(may affect up to 1 in 100 people)

  • Stomach pain, stomach feels full or tight (bloating), wind (flatulence), constipation, diarrhoea, indigestion and loss of appetite
  • Changes in behaviour
  • Slurred speech
  • Cough and blocked nose
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Headache
  • Feeling or being sick
  • Breathing problems such as asthma
  • Dry mouth, eyes or skin
  • Weight gain
  • Sweating
  • Difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection, or in ejaculating (impotence)
  • Lack of interest in sexual activities (libido)

Other side effects with frequency not known

(frequency cannot be estimated from available data)

  • Feeling nervous, anxious, shaky or sweaty. These could be signs of low blood sugar levels (hypoglycaemia)
  • Inflammation, irritation or swelling caused by blood flow to the stomach
  • Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
  • Seeing or hearing things that are not there (hallucinations), confusion, blurred vision
  • Depression and short-term memory loss
  • High temperature and sore throat
  • A cold or numb feeling on your fingers or toes
  • Unusual skin sensation such as numbness, tingling, pricking, burning or creeping on the skin
  • Hair loss (usually grows back when you stop using the medicine)
  • Changes in your blood cell count shown up on blood tests. This can lead to skin rashes or feeling weak

    Blood tests

    The results of some blood tests may show higher levels of liver enzymes than normal. The blood tests may also show higher levels of white blood cells than normal.

    If you get any side effects or if any of the side effects get serious or last longer than a few days, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.

    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: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard 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 Nadolol Tablets

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton after 'EXP'. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

Store below 25 °C.

Do not throw away any medicine via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.

6. Content of the pack and other information

What Nadolol Tablets contain:

  • The active substance is nadolol 80 mg.
  • The other ingredients are microcrystalline cellulose and magnesium stearate.

What Nadolol Tablets look like and contents of the pack

Nadolol 80 mg Tablets are white, capsule-shaped, scored tablets, engraved with '80' on one side.

They are supplied in cartons of 28 tablets.

Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing Authorisation Holder

Neon Healthcare Ltd.

8 The Chase, John Tate Road,

Hertford,

SG13 7NN

United Kingdom

Manufacturer

Opella Healthcare Poland Sp. z o.o.

Oddział w Rzeszowie

ul. Lubelska 52

Rzeszów 35-233

Poland

This leaflet does not contain all the information about your medicine. If you have any questions or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

This leaflet was last revised in April 2022.

About this document

Source: MHRA - Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (products.mhra.gov.uk) · Marketing authorisation: PL 45043/0062

Last revision stated in the text: April 2022 · MHRA data as of 13 October 2026

Found a mistake? Tell us on the contact page.

The information on this site does not replace the advice of a doctor or pharmacist.

Facts about Nadolol 80 mg tablets

Prescription needed? Yes, prescription-only medicine (POM)
Active substance Nadolol
Strength 80 mg
Pharmaceutical form Oral tablet
White or slightly mottled, capsule-shaped, biconvex tablet engraved “80” on one side and with a break line on the other side.
How is it taken Oral
Excipients Microcrystalline cellulose, Magnesium stearate
Pack sizes 28 tablet
Is it available? Listed as available (NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices – not a record of current supplies)
Shelf life 3 years.
Storage Store below 25 °C.
Drug group (ATC) Beta blocking agents; Beta blocking agents, non-selective
  1. C Cardiovascular system drugs
    1. C07 Beta-Adrenergic Blocking Agents
      1. C07A Beta blocking agents
        1. C07AA Beta blocking agents, non-selective
          1. C07AA12 nadolol
Marketing authorisation PL 45043/0062 (first authorised 24 November 1995)
Marketing authorisation holder Neon Healthcare Ltd.
Codes GTIN 5060499391176 · BNF 02040000

Sources: the MHRA product information (products.mhra.gov.uk) and the NHS Dictionary of Medicines and Devices (dm+d), release 10.1.0 of 12 October 2026, NHS Business Services Authority. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.