Two medicines, side by side
Nifedipine vs atenolol
Nifedipine and atenolol are both labeled for high blood pressure and angina. Drugs@FDA records approvals of nifedipine since 1981 and of atenolol since 1981. Pharmacies paid $0.130 per nifedipine ER 30 mg tablet and $0.0217 per atenolol 25 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, nifedipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker and atenolol a beta-adrenergic blocker.
Check it at the source: the nifedipine FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 24, 2024); the atenolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 18, 2025).
Highlights of the nifedipine record
Nifedipine (Procardia) · label of December 24, 2024
Used for
From the label: indicationsNifedipine extended-release tablets are indicated for the treatment of hypertension. It may be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 31, 1981
- Generic labelers
- 32 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.130 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 7
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
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Nifedipine label of December 24, 2024, Atenolol label of September 18, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do nifedipine and atenolol differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, nifedipine is a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker and atenolol a beta-adrenergic blocker.
Half-life, in each label's words: Nifedipine, “The elimination half-life of nifedipine administered as nifedipine extended-release tablets are approximately 7 hours …”; Atenolol, “The elimination half-life of oral TENORMIN is approximately 6 to 7 hours, and there is no alteration of the kinetic …”
Generics: nifedipine since 1989; atenolol since 1988 (Drugs@FDA).
| Nifedipine | Atenolol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure, Angina | High blood pressure, Angina, Heart attack and coronary artery disease |
| Pharmacologic class | Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blocker | beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | The elimination half-life of nifedipine administered as nifedipine extended-release tablets are approximately 7 hours in contrast to the known 2 hour elimination half-life of nifedipine administered as an immediate … | 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. |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 31, 1981 | August 19, 1981 |
| First generic approved | April 28, 1989 | July 15, 1988 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 32 labelers | 35 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.130 per tablet (Nifedipine ER 30 mg tablet) | $0.0217 per tablet (Atenolol 25 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | +19% | -3% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 7 | 4 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 41,059 | 132,491 |
| 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 nifedipine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions