Atenolol and Chlorthalidone

Pronunciation

Brand Names

Therapeutic Categories

What is this medicine used for?

• This medicine is used to treat high blood pressure.

How does it work?

• Atenolol blocks chemicals such as adrenaline. It prevents them from increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen use.
• Chlorthalidone lowers blood pressure. It gets rid of extra salt and water in the body by acting on the kidneys.

How is it best taken?

• Take with or without food. Take with food if this medicine causes an upset stomach. Take early in the day to prevent getting up at night to use the bathroom.
• Do not take antacids or calcium supplements less than 2 hours before or 6 hours after this medicine.
• Do not suddenly stop using this medicine if you have been taking it for a long time. Medicine should be slowly decreased.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to your regular schedule.
• Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
• Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with healthcare provider. This could be dangerous.

What are the precautions when taking this medicine?

• Check medicines with healthcare provider, especially with amiodarone, diltiazem, and verapamil.
• Wear disease medical alert identification for heart disease.
• It is dangerous to run out of this medication especially if you have chest pain or pressure (angina) or a history of heart attacks. Get it refilled today!
• Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) and other medicines that slow your actions and reactions. This includes sedatives, tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, or pain medicine. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Not for use in kidney disease. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Use caution if you have a weakened heart. Can worsen symptoms. Talk with healthcare provider.
• If you are diabetic, use caution when low blood sugars are seen. This medicine hides signs of low blood sugar except sweating. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Do not use over-the-counter products that increase blood pressure. These include cough or cold remedies, diet pills, stimulants, ibuprofen or like products, and certain herbs or supplements. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Use caution if you have lung disease. This includes asthma, COPD, or if you are using an inhaler like albuterol or ipratropium. This medicine can cause wheezing or shortness of breath.
• You can get sunburned more easily. Avoid lots of sun. Use sunscreen; wear protective clothing and eyewear.
• Watch for gout attacks. If you have sudden pain in a single joint, like the toe, talk with healthcare provider.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
• Do not use in pregnancy and do not get pregnant. Use birth control that you can trust while taking this medicine.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.

What are the common side effects of this medicine?

• This medicine rarely has side effects but here are a few to look for.
• Feeling sleepy or lightheaded. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or hobbies that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects you.
• Dizziness is common. Rise slowly over several minutes from sitting or lying position. Be careful climbing stairs.
• Low potassium. This may make you feel tired, weak, or have numbness tingling, muscle cramps, constipation, vomiting, or rapid heartbeats. May require taking extra potassium and/or eating foods rich in potassium. Talk with healthcare provider.
• Change in sexual ability or desire. This can return to normal after medicine is stopped. Talk with healthcare provider about other medicines without this side effect.
• Slow heart rate (pulse) and/or low blood pressure. This may make you feel lightheaded, dizzy, weak, and tired.

What should I monitor?

• Watch for swelling of legs or belly, shortness of breath, weight gain, exercise tolerance. If any of these worsen talk with healthcare provider.
• Report a 3-5 pound weight gain if you have heart failure.
• Check blood pressure and heart rate (pulse) regularly.
• Follow diet plan and exercise program as recommended by healthcare provider.
• Check blood work (potassium). Talk with healthcare provider.

Reasons to call healthcare provider immediately

• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Too tired or sleepy.
• Passing out, fainting, dizziness, or lightheadedness.
• Chest pains, fast heartbeats, shortness of breath, or decreased ability to walk.
• Signs of low potassium (see above). Can lead to serious heartbeat problems.
• Any rash.

How should I store this medicine?

• Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room temperature.

General statements

• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs, vitamins).

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