Atenolol 50mg Tablets
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Atenolol 50mg & 100mg Tablets
Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to take this medicine. Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again. If you have any further questions, please ask your doctor or pharmacist. This medicine has been prescribed for you personally and you should not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
1. What Atenolol Tablets are and what they are used for.
2. Before you take Atenolol Tablets.
3. How to take Atenolol Tablets.
4. Possible side effects.
5. How to store Atenolol Tablets.
6. Further information.
1. What Atenolol Tablets are and what they are used for
Atenolol belongs to a class of medicines called beta-blockers, which help slow the heart beat and relax blood vessels. This reduces blood pressure and the heart’s demand for oxygen.
Atenolol is used to treat the following conditions:
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Chest pain (angina): Atenolol helps prevent or reduce chest pains which may occur when your heart cannot get enough oxygen, such as when doing exercise.
• Irregular heart beat: Atenolol helps control abnormal heart beats, by slowing the heart rate.
• Protect the heart after a heart attack: Atenolol helps reduce the damage to the heart if taken shortly after a heart attack and decrease the risk of continued illness.
2. Before you take Atenolol Tablets
You should only take this medicine if your doctor tells you to. Let your doctor know if you have a history of wheezing or asthma.
Do not take Atenolol Tablets if:
• You have heart problems such as uncontrolled heart failure, interference with the normal heartbeat, a slow heart rate, low blood pressure or bad circulation.
• You have shock due to heart disease.
• You have been told that you have too much acid in the blood and body tissues (acidosis).
• You have a history of breathing difficulties or wheezing, asthma or other lung disorders.
• You have or have had an allergic reaction to Atenolol or any of its ingredients.
• You have high blood pressure due to a tumour near the kidney.
Take special care with Atenolol Tablets:
• If you suffer from heart conditions such as heart failure.
• If you suffer from angina (chest pain) whilst at rest.
• If you suffer from diabetes or from an overactive thyroid gland.
• If you have low blood sugar levels. Atenolol Tablets may hide an increase in your heart rate, which is one of the warning signs of low blood sugar levels.
• If you have reversible obstructive airways disease. Atenolol Tablets should not be taken unless your doctor tells you to, as this could make your condition worse.
• If you have kidney problems. You may require a lower dose than stated. You may need to have some check-ups during your treatment.
• If you have a history of a common skin disorder known as psoriasis. Atenolol Tablets should be taken cautiously.
• If you have poor circulation making the fingers and toes numb and pale (Raynaud’s syndrome) and other blood circulatory disorders, as Atenolol Tablets may make the condition worse.
• If you have allergies as Beta-blockers may increase the allergies and the seriousness of the allergic reaction.
• If you are pregnant or if you are breast feeding.
If you are unsure whether Atenolol Tablets are suitable for you, please discuss this with your doctor. When taking other medicines
Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, or have recently taken any other medicines, even those bought without a prescription or herbal preparations. You can take Atenolol Tablets with other medicines but there are some medicines, which can interfere with its actions, in particular, any of the following medicines:
• 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 quinidine (for an uneven heart beat).
• 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.
Surgery
Atenolol Tablets may react with certain anaesthetics, so in the event you need any form of surgery, you should tell the medical staff at the hospital that you are taking Atenolol Tablets.
Taking with alcohol
If alcohol is taken together with Atenolol Tablets, your blood levels of beta-blockers, may increase. Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or think you could be pregnant or you are breast-feeding, you should not take Atenolol Tablets. You should consult your doctor.
Driving or using machines
Atenolol Tablets are unlikely to have a serious effect on your ability to drive or use machinery. On rare occasions though you may feel a bit dizzy or more tired than usual. If this happens, do not drive or operate machinery.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Atenolol Tablets
• Atenolol 100mg Tablets contain the Azo colouring agent Sunset Yellow FCF (E110), which may cause allergic reaction.
• Atenolol 50mg and 100mg Tablets contain lactose. If you have been told by your doctor that you have intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine.
3. How to take Atenolol Tablets
Always take Atenolol Tablets as instructed by your doctor. You should ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure about anything.
• Atenolol Tablets are for oral use only.
Dosages stated below are guidelines only.
High blood pressure (hypertension):
Normal dose is 50mg tablet daily. After 1 or 2 weeks of treatment, your high blood pressure should return to normal. If necessary your doctor may also prescribe you other antihypertensive medicines to reduce the blood pressure further.
Chest pain (angina pectoris):
Normal dose is one 100mg tablet once a day or one 50mg tablet twice a day.
Abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac dysrhythmias):
The initial step may be an injection to control the rhythm. To maintain your heart rhythm, the normal dose is one 50mg tablet or one 100mg tablet daily.
Heart attack (myocardial infarction):
Within 12 hours of chest pain and following an injection, if there are no side effects you may be given a 50mg Atenolol Tablet, followed by another 12 hours later. Another 12 hours after this a 100mg tablet is given once daily. Your doctor will monitor you closely since if your heart rate lowers or if you suffer from high blood pressure it may be necessary to stop treatment with Atenolol Tablets.
Elderly patients: the doses may need to be reduced, particularly if you suffer from kidney problems.
If you suffer from kidney failure: your doctor will advise you of the correct dose to take since Atenolol passes through the kidneys.
Atenolol is not recommended for use in children.
If you forget to take Atenolol Tablets take it when you remember, but if it is near to the time your next dose is due then take your normal dose as per normal. Do not take twice the normal dose.
If you take more Atenolol Tablets than the recommended dose seek medical help immediately.
Do not stop taking Atenolol Tablets unless told to do so by your doctor.
Stopping treatment with beta-blockers such as Atenolol Tablets should always be gradual.
4. Possible side effects
Atenolol Tablets are usually well tolerated but, as with any medicine, people can experience different side effects, particularly when treatment is first started.
If you notice any of the side effects listed below or any not listed, please tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Allergic reactions:
If you have an allergic reaction, see a doctor straight away. The signs may include raised lumps on your skin (wheals), or swelling of your face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat.
Other possible side effects:
Common (affects less than 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 (affects less than 1 in 100 people)
• Disturbed sleep.
Rare (affects less than 1 in 1,000 people)
• Heart block (which can cause dizziness, abnormal heart beat, tiredness or fainting).
• Numbness and spasm in your fingers which is followed by warmth and pain (Raynaud’s disease).
• Mood changes.
• Nightmares.
• Feeling confused.
• Changes in personality (psychoses) or hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not real)
• Headache.
• Dizziness (particularly when standing up).
• Tingling of your hands.
• Inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse (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.
• Jaundice (causing yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes).
• Besides these, there may be worsening of the following:
- A skin condition called psoriasis
- Being short of breath or having swollen ankles (heart failure)
- Poor circulation
- Asthma or breathing problems
Very rare (affects less than 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.
5. How to store Atenolol Tablets Keep out of reach and sight of children.
Do not store above 25oC. Store in original package in order to protect from light.
On the carton you will find the letters “Expiry Date” followed by some numbers. These numbers are the date when the medicine is to be used before. Do not take this medicine after this date, it should be returned to your pharmacist.
6. Further information What Atenolol Tablets contain:
Active substance:
50mg of Atenolol (Atenolol 50mg Tablets)
100mg of Atenolol (Atenolol 100mg Tablets)
Other ingredients:
Lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium starch glycollate, maize starch, gelatin, magnesium stearate, methanol, methylene chloride.
Atenolol 50mg Tablets also contain Opadry Y-1-7000 White.
Atenolol 100mg Tablets also contain Opadry OY-C-5690 [Contains Sunset Yellow (E110)]
See Important Information about of the ingredients of Atenolol Tablets (bottom of Section 2 on page 1, second column)
What Atenolol Tablets look like and the contents of the pack:
Atenolol Tablets are available in two strengths:
Atenolol 50mg Tablets: white/off-white film coated tablets marked "AT/50" on one side and company logo on the reverse.
Atenolol 100mg Tablets: round, orange film coated tablets marked "AT/100" on one side and company logo on the reverse.
Atenolol Tablets are available in blister pack sizes of 28 and 56 tablets [Not all pack sizes may be marketed].
This leaflet does not contain the complete information about your medicine. If you have any questions or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
The information in this leaflet applies only to Atenolol Tablets.
Marketing Authorisation Holder & Manufacturer:
The Co-operative Pharmacy National Distribution Centre Limited
Enterprise Way
Meir Park
Stoke on Trent
ST3 7UN
UK
This leaflet was revised in March 2012.