Two medicines, side by side
Pindolol vs atenolol
Pindolol and atenolol are both labeled for high blood pressure. Drugs@FDA records approvals of pindolol since 1982 and of atenolol since 1981. Pharmacies paid $0.854 per pindolol 10 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.
Check it at the source: the pindolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective March 17, 2026); the atenolol FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 18, 2025).
Highlights of the pindolol record
Pindolol (Visken) · label of March 17, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsPindolol tablets are indicated in the management of hypertension. It may be used alone or concomitantly with other antihypertensive agents, particularly with a thiazide-type diuretic.
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- September 3, 1982
- Generic labelers
- 8 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.854 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- A presentation being discontinued
- Recalls
- 0
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 (Pindolol label of March 17, 2026, Atenolol label of September 18, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do pindolol and atenolol differ on the record?
Both are in FDA's class beta-adrenergic blockers.
Half-life, in each label's words: Pindolol, “The polar metabolites are excreted with a half-life of approximately 8 hours and thus multiple dosing therapy (q.8H) …”; Atenolol, “The elimination half-life of oral TENORMIN is approximately 6 to 7 hours, and there is no alteration of the kinetic …”
Generics: pindolol since 1992; atenolol since 1988 (Drugs@FDA).
| Pindolol | Atenolol | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | High blood pressure | High blood pressure, Angina, Heart attack and coronary artery disease |
| Pharmacologic class | beta-Adrenergic Blocker | beta-Adrenergic Blocker |
| How it works (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Half-life (label) | The polar metabolites are excreted with a half-life of approximately 8 hours and thus multiple dosing therapy (q.8H) results in a less than 50% accumulation in plasma. | 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) | September 3, 1982 | August 19, 1981 |
| First generic approved | September 3, 1992 | July 15, 1988 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 8 labelers | 35 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $0.854 per tablet (Pindolol 10 mg tablet) | $0.0217 per tablet (Atenolol 25 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | +5% | -3% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | A presentation being discontinued | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 0 | 4 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 796 | 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 pindolol
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions