Two medicines, side by side
Atenolol vs nadolol
Atenolol and nadolol are both labeled for high blood pressure and angina. Drugs@FDA records approvals of atenolol since 1981 and of nadolol since 1979. Pharmacies paid $0.0217 per atenolol 25 mg tablet and $0.147 per nadolol 20 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like.
Check it at the source: the atenolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 18, 2025); the nadolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective May 12, 2026).
Highlights of the atenolol record
Atenolol (Tenormin) · label of September 18, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsHypertension TENORMIN is indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure lowers the risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. These benefits have been seen in controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs from a wide variety of pharmacologic classes including atenolol. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- August 19, 1981
- Generic labelers
- 35 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.0217 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 4
Highlights of the nadolol record
Nadolol (Corgard) · label of May 12, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsAngina Pectoris Nadolol tablets are indicated for the long-term management of patients with angina pectoris. Hypertension Nadolol tablets are indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 10, 1979
- Generic labelers
- 16 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.147 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Atenolol label of September 18, 2025, Nadolol label of May 12, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do atenolol and nadolol differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class beta-adrenergic blockers.
Half-life, in each label's words: Atenolol, “The elimination half-life of oral TENORMIN is approximately 6 to 7 hours, and there is no alteration of the kinetic …”; Nadolol, “The half-life of therapeutic doses of nadolol is about 20 to 24 hours, permitting once-daily dosage.”
Generics: atenolol since 1988; nadolol since 1993 (Drugs@FDA).
| Atenolol | Nadolol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure, Angina, Heart attack and coronary artery disease | Angina, High blood pressure |
| Pharmacologic class | beta-Adrenergic Blocker | beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | The elimination half-life of oral TENORMIN is approximately 6 to 7 hours, and there is no alteration of the kinetic profile of the drug by chronic administration. | The half-life of therapeutic doses of nadolol is about 20 to 24 hours, permitting once-daily dosage. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | August 19, 1981 | December 10, 1979 |
| First generic approved | July 15, 1988 | October 31, 1993 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 35 labelers | 16 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.0217 per tablet (Atenolol 25 mg tablet) | $0.147 per tablet (Nadolol 20 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | -3% | +23% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 4 | 2 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 132,491 | 7,532 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to atenolol
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions