Atenolol Sandoz®

Atenolol Sandoz®

Active ingredient(s): atenolol

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Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)

This leaflet provides important information about using Atenolol Sandoz. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information or if you have any concerns or questions about using Atenolol Sandoz.

Where to find information in this leaflet:

1. Why am I using Atenolol Sandoz?
2. What should I know before I use Atenolol Sandoz?
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
4. How do I use Atenolol Sandoz?
5. What should I know while using Atenolol Sandoz?
6. Are there any side effects?
7. Product details

1. Why am I using Atenolol Sandoz?

Atenolol Sandoz contains the active ingredient atenolol. Atenolol Sandoz belongs to a group of medicines called beta-blockers. It works by affecting the body’s response to certain nerve impulses, especially in the heart.

As a result, it decreases the heart’s need for blood and oxygen and therefore reduces the amount of work the heart has to do. It widens the blood vessels in the body, causing blood pressure to fall. It also helps the heart to beat more regularly.

Atenolol Sandoz is used to:

• lower high blood pressure which is called hypertension
• prevent angina
• treat irregular heart rhythm or beat called cardiac arrhythmias)
• treat heart attacks or reduce your risk of heart complications following a heart attack.

2. What should I know before I use Atenolol Sandoz?

Warnings

Do not use Atenolol Sandoz if:

• you are allergic to atenolol, or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet, or to any other beta-blocker medicine. Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine.
  Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include
  – shortness of breath,
  – wheezing or difficulty breathing,
  – swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body,
  – rash, itching or hives on the skin or
  – you may feel faint
• you have or have had asthma (difficulty in breathing, wheezing, and coughing), bronchitis or other lung problems in the past
• you have the following conditions:
  – a history of allergic problems, including hay fever.
  Symptoms of an allergy may include: rash, itching, watery eyes, or sneezing
  – a very slow heart beat (less than 45-50 beats/minute)
  – a severe blood vessel disorder causing poor circulation in the arms and legs
  – certain other heart conditions
  – phaeochromocytoma (a rare tumour of the adrenal gland) which is not being treated with other medicines
  – low blood pressure (hypotension)
  – too much acid in the blood (metabolic acidosis)
• you are receiving
  – certain anaesthetics for medical dental procedures
  – emergency treatment for shock or severely low blood pressure

Check with your doctor if you:

• have any other medical conditions
  – heart problems
  – an overactive thyroid gland called hyperthyroidism
  – kidney problems
  – diabetes
  – circulation problems
• have allergies to:
  – any other medicine, including eye drops, or other beta blocker medicines.
  – any other medicines, foods, preservatives, or dyes
  – insect stings
• Atenolol Sandoz may make allergies worse or make them harder to treat.
• take any medicines for any other condition.

During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information under Section 6. Are there any side effects?

Use in Children

Atenolol Sandoz is not recommended for use in children, as there have been no studies of its effects in children.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Do not take Atenolol Sandoz if you are pregnant or intend to be pregnant, are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed.

Your doctor will discuss the possible risks and benefits of using Atenolol Sandoz during pregnancy and breast feeding.

Atenolol Sandoz passes into breast milk and may therefore affect the breast-fed baby.

3. What if I am taking other medicines?

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines, vitamins, or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket, or health food shop.

Some medicines may interfere with Atenolol Sandoz and affect how it works. These medicines include:

• other beta-blocker medicines
• medicines used to treat high blood pressure or angina
• medicine used to treat heart problems
• insulin and tablets used to treat diabetes
• medicines used to treat arthritis, pain, or inflammation

Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins, or supplements you are taking and if these affect Atenolol Sandoz.

4. How do I use Atenolol Sandoz?

How much to take

• Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
• If you do not understand the instructions on the pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
• Hypertension:
  – The usual dose is from 50 mg (1 tablet) up to 200 mg (4 tablets) of Atenolol Sandoz daily.
  – If your dose is 100 mg or less, take it once a day. If you need to take more than 100 mg (2 tablets), take half of your Atenolol Sandoz dose in the morning and the other half of your dose in the evening.
• Angina or Irregular Heart Beat:
  – The usual dose is from 50 mg (1 tablet) up to 100 mg (2 tablets) taken as a single dose or half the dose in the morning and half at night.
• Heart attack
  – The usual dose is 50 mg (1 tablet) of Atenolol Sandoz daily.
  – Certain people such as the elderly or those with kidney problems, may require a lower dose.
  Follow the instructions provided and use Atenolol Sandoz until your doctor tells you to stop.

When to take Atenolol Sandoz

• Take your medicine at about the same time everyday.
• It does not matter if you take your Atenolol Sandoz before or after food.

How to take Atenolol Sandoz

• Swallow Atenolol Sandoz whole with a drink or a glass of water, during or immediately after food.
• If you need to break Atenolol Sandoz, hold the tablet with both hands and snap along the break line.

How to long to take Atenolol Sandoz

• Take Atenolol Sandoz everyday. Continue taking Atenolol Sandoz for as long as your doctor advises you to stop
  – Atenolol Sandoz helps treat your condition but does not cure it.
• Do not stop taking Atenolol Sandoz without checking with your doctor.
  – Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount of Atenolol Sandoz you are taking. This should take place over a period of about 2 weeks before stopping completely. Do not stop suddenly as this may worsen your condition.
• Make sure you keep enough Atenolol Sandoz to last over weekends and holidays.

If you forget to use Atenolol Sandoz

Atenolol Sandoz should be used regularly at the same time each day.

If it is less than six hours from when you missed your dose, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your tablets at the same time you would normally.

If it is more than six hours since your last dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you would normally.

Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.

If you have trouble remembering when to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.

If you use too much Atenolol Sandoz

If you think that you have used too much Atenolol Sandoz, you may need urgent medical attention. If you take too much Atenolol Sandoz, you may feel faint or dizzy or you may find it difficult to breathe.

You should immediately:

• phone the Poisons Information Centre
  (by calling 13 11 26), or
• contact your doctor, or
• go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.

You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.

5. What should I know while using Atenolol Sandoz?

Things you should do

• Attend all of your doctor’s appointments so that your progress can be checked.
• Tell any doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Atenolol Sandoz.
• If you are about to be started on any new medicines, tell your doctor, dentist, or pharmacist that you are taking Atenolol Sandoz.

Call your doctor straight away if you:

• become pregnant while taking Atenolol Sandoz.
• have an allergic reaction to any foods, medicines or insect stings.
  – Atenolol Sandoz can cause allergic reactions to be worse and harder to treat.
• have diabetes and notices any blood sugar level changes
  – Atenolol Sandoz may affect your diabetes. It may hide the symptoms of low blood sugar levels, such as a fast heartbeat. It may also take longer for your blood sugar level to get back to normal even if you follow the usual treatment for diabetes. Your diabetic medicines may have to be changed or the doses adjusted.
• continue to have angina attacks or have more of them whilst taking Atenolol Sandoz.
  – Atenolol Sandoz is used to help prevent angina, so your angina attacks should become less severe and occur less often.
• feel light-headed, dizzy, or faint, and this problem gets worse or continues
  – Get up slowly when getting out of bed or standing up
  – You may feel light-headed or dizzy after taking Atenolol Sandoz. This is because your blood pressure is falling suddenly.
  – To help you body get used to the change in blood pressure, you may find the following hints useful:
• Stand up slowly when getting up from a chair or bed.
  This will allow your body get used to the change in position and blood pressure.
• If you feel dizzy, sit or lie down until you feel better.
• If you feel faint, sit down and put your head between your knees.
• are having surgery (even at the dentist), tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking Atenolol Sandoz.
  – Atenolol Sandoz may affect some of the medicines used during surgery.
• have any medical tests while you are taking Atenolol Sandoz
  – Atenolol Sandoz may affect the results of some tests.

Things you must do

• Drink lots of water when exercising and during hot weather when taking Atenolol Sandoz, especially if you sweat a lot.
  – If you do not drink enough water while taking Atenolol Sandoz, you may feel faint, light-headed, or sick. The recommended healthy minimum water intake is 6-8 glasses a day.

Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using Atenolol Sandoz.

Things you should not do

• Do not stop taking Atenolol Sandoz or change the dose without checking with your doctor.
• Do not take any new medicines with Atenolol Sandoz, unless your doctor has told you to.
• Do not take Atenolol Sandoz to treat any other complaint unless your doctor tells you to.
• Do not give Atenolol Sandoz to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar or they have the same condition as you.

Driving or using machines

Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how Atenolol Sandoz affects you.

Atenolol Sandoz may cause dizziness, fatigue, light-headedness or faintness in some people.

Make sure you know how you react to Atenolol Sandoz before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or lightheaded.

Drinking alcohol

Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.

Alcohol may impact the effects of Atenolol Sandoz.

Things to be careful of

Be careful not to over exercise when you first start taking Atenolol Sandoz.

It helps prevent angina resulting from physical activity and exercise. You may be tempted to exercise too much. Talk to your doctor about how much exercise you can do.

Dress warmly during cold weather, especially if you will be outside for a long time (for example, when playing or watching sport in winter).

Atenolol Sandoz, like other beta blocker medicines, may make you more sensitive to cold temperatures, especially if you have circulation problems. Beta-blockers tend to decrease blood circulation in the skin, fingers, and toes.

Looking after your medicine

• Protect from light.
• Keep your tablets in the pack until it is time to take them.

Follow the instructions in the carton on how to take care of your medicine properly.

Store it in a cool dry place below 25°C away from moisture, heat, or sunlight; for example, do not store it:

• in the bathroom or near a sink, or
• in the car or on window sills.

Keep it where young children cannot reach it.

A locked cupboard at least one and a half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

Getting rid of any unwanted medicine

If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy for safe disposal.

Do not use this medicine after the expiry date or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

6. Are there any side effects?

All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.

See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any further questions about side effects.

If you get any side effects, do not stop taking Atenolol Sandoz without first talking to your doctor.

Less serious side effects

Less serious side effects

What to do

Gut related: stomach upsets such as diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, or heartburn (indigestion) Respiratory or breathing related: runny or blocked nose Other: dry mouth, change in taste sensation slow or irregular heart beat dry eyes, problems with vision difficulty sleeping, nightmares skin reactions (e.g., rash, itching, worsening of psoriasis) increased hair loss dizziness, headache or buzzing or ringing in the ears cold fingers and toes tingling, ‘pins and needles’ or walking unsteadily sexual problems

Speak to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects and they worry you. They are generally mild and do not cause patients to stop taking Atenolol Sandoz.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects	What to do
Neurological or brain related: confusion or disorientation depression or mood changes or worsening of these unusual thoughts, hallucinations (seeing, feeling, or hearing things that are not there) light-headedness or fainting which may be due to low blood pressure Liver related: yellowing of the skin and/or eyes (jaundice)	Call your doctor straight away or go straight to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of these serious side effects.

Very serious side effects

Very serious side effects	What to do
Allergy related: wheezing, chest tightness or difficulty breathing swelling of the lips, face or throat Other: unexplained bruising	Tell your doctor immediately, or go to straight to the Emergency department at your nearest hospital

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you feel unwell.

Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.

Reporting side effects

After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop taking any of your medicines.

7. Product details

This medicine is only available with a doctor’s prescription.

What Atenolol Sandoz contains

Active ingredient (main ingredient)	Atenolol
Other ingredients (inactive ingredients)	maize starch sodium lauryl sulfate magnesium carbonate hydrate magnesium stearate gelatin hypromellose titanium dioxide macrogol 4000.
Potential allergens	lactose monohydrate This medicine does not contain sucrose, gluten, tartrazine, or any other azo dyes.

Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.

What Atenolol Sandoz looks like

Atenolol Sandoz 50 mg tablets – white, round, convex film-coated tablet scored on one side
(AUST R 101462).

Available in blisters of 30 tablets.

Who distributes Atenolol Sandoz

Sandoz Pty Ltd
ABN 60 075 449 553
54 Waterloo Road
Macquarie Park, NSW 2113
Tel: 1800 726 369

This leaflet was revised in July 2022.