• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
• Interactions

Before taking atenolol, tell your doctor if you are using:

• allergy treatments (or if you are undergoing allergy skin-testing);

• amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone);

• clonidine (Catapres);

• digoxin (digitalis, Lanoxin);

• disopyramide (Norpace);

• guanabenz (Wytensin);

• an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam);

• a diabetes medication such as insulin, glyburide (Diabeta, Micronase, Glynase), glipizide (Glucotrol), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), or metformin (Glucophage);

• a heart medication such as nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), reserpine (Serpasil), verapamil (Calan, Verelan, Isoptin), diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem);

• medicine for asthma or other breathing disorders, such as albuterol (Ventolin, Proventil), bitolterol (Tornalate), metaproterenol (Alupent), pirbuterol (Maxair), terbutaline (Brethaire, Brethine, Bricanyl), and theophylline (Theo-Dur, Theolair); or

• cold medicines, stimulant medicines, or diet pills.

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with atenolol. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• 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-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);

• depression; or

• cold feeling in your hands and feet.

Less serious side effects may include:

• decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm;

• sleep problems (insomnia);

• tired feeling; or

• anxiety, nervousness.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.