Atenolol Blood Pressure Medicine

Atenolol (

Tenormin^®) is a prescription medication approved for treating several conditions related to the heart and blood vessels. These uses include:

High blood pressure (hypertension) control
Relief of chest pain caused by angina
Treatment following a heart attack to improve survival.

Atenolol works by blocking a specific type of beta receptor called beta-1 receptors. By blocking beta-1 receptors, the medication causes the reverse effect of adrenaline. It decreases heart rate, blood pressure, and the workload of the heart. This means that the heart requires less blood and oxygen to work properly.

When used as a blood pressure medicine, atenolol has been shown to significantly lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The higher the dose of atenolol, the greater the drop in blood pressure is expected to be, up to an atenolol dose of 100 mg daily (at higher doses, no further blood pressure reduction is expected).

By lowering blood pressure, atenolol can decrease the risks that occur with long-term high blood pressure. However, atenolol does not cure high blood pressure.

(Click Atenolol for details about the specific effects of atenolol, as well as warnings for the drug and information on potential side effects.)