atenolol

Don’t stop taking atenolol (Tenormin) suddenly since it can worsen your chest pain, heart attack, or irregular heartbeat. If you need to stop taking this medication for any reason, let your provider know. They can work with you to lower your dose safely over time. While your dose is being lowered, make sure to limit physical activity as much as possible to lower the stress on your heart. Watch out for symptoms of heart attack (e.g., chest pain and tightness, pain that spreads to arms and neck, trouble breathing, lightheadedness, and fatigue) and irregular heartbeat (e.g., chest pain, fast heartbeat, dizziness, nausea). Get medical attention right away if you have any of these symptoms.

Atenolol (Tenormin) might lead to heart failure or worsen heart failure in people who already have it. This is because atenolol (Tenormin) can slow down your heart, which leads to your heart muscle not pumping as often. In people with a history of heart problems, this can cause their heart to not work as well, leading to heart failure. People with heart failure shouldn't take atenolol (Tenormin) if their heart failure symptoms aren’t well-managed. Discuss with your provider before starting atenolol (Tenormin) if you have a history of heart failure. Let your provider know right away if you experience symptoms such as trouble breathing, tiredness, swelling in your body, or sudden weight gain. Your provider might ask you to stop this medication if you have symptoms of heart failure.

Atenolol (Tenormin) can cause the vessels in your lung to tighten. This can make breathing difficult, especially in people with breathing problems, like asthma. This problem is very rare with atenolol (Tenormin) because it's a cardioselective beta-blocker, meaning it targets your heart rather than your lungs. To be safe, make sure your provider knows about your full medical history before starting this medication. Your provider will start you on the lowest dose possible that works well for you.

If you're planning to undergo a major surgery requiring anesthesia, tell your surgeon that you are taking atenolol (Tenormin). Beta-blockers, such as atenolol (Tenormin), might raise the risk of side effects from anesthesia. If you've been taking it for a while, your surgeon might not ask you to stop it, but they'll need to monitor your heart closely during your procedure.

Taking atenolol (Tenormin) can make it difficult for you to identify some symptoms of low blood sugar, such as fast heart beat or tremors. If you’re taking blood sugar medications, you might not be able to rely on all the typical symptoms of low blood sugar to warn you of a dangerous drop in your sugar levels. Watch out for sweating and dizziness, which aren't affected by atenolol (Tenormin), to identify low blood sugar episodes. If you have diabetes, speak with your provider about how often to monitor your blood sugar once you start atenolol (Tenormin).

If you have hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), talk to your provider before stopping atenolol (Tenormin). This is because atenolol (Tenormin) lowers your heart rate, which makes it harder to notice heart-related symptoms that are caused by hyperthyroidism. In some people, stopping this medication suddenly might lead to a condition called a "thyroid storm,” which include symptoms such as a high temperature, rapid heartbeat, and fainting. Get medical attention right away if you have these symptoms.

You should avoid taking atenolol (Tenormin) with certain calcium channel blockers (CCBs), like diltiazem (Cardizem) or verapamil. Doing so can raise the risk of dangerously low heart rate and heart block.