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Atenolol is a cardioselective beta blocker, meaning it acts principally on the heart.
It prevents the heart from beating too quickly and is mostly used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), chest pain (angina) and irregular heart rhythms (arrthythmias).It is also sometimes prescribed after a heart attack to prevent further damage to the heart.
Atenolol is sometimes prescribed with a diuretic (helps expel excess body water) when used in the treatment of high blood pressure.
It usually has to be taken long term and should never be stopped suddenly without consulting a doctor first as this can lead to condition(s) worsening.
It comes in three strengths ,25mg,50mg and 100mg, and can be taken as a tablet, liquid or administered by injection and is usually taken once or twice daily, and can take between 2-4 hours for the drug to take effect, but once it has, the effect will last for a about of 20 hours.
Because it is a cardioselective beta blocker it is less likely to cause breathing problems than the non-cardioselective variety of beta blockers, but it should still be used with caution by people with any form of respiratory disease such as asthma.
It's brand names include, Antipression,Atenix and Tenormin.

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