Prescription medication · Beta-1 Selective Blocker
bisoprolol
Also sold as Zebeta. Bisoprolol is used to treat high blood pressure.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 61,731
- FDA reports
- $0.21
- Generic price (NADAC)
bisoprolol (Zebeta) is a prescription Beta-1 Selective Blocker. Bisoprolol is used to treat high blood pressure.
Bisoprolol (Zebeta) is a medicine that lowers high blood pressure. It belongs to a class of drugs called beta-blockers.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$0.21/unit
Generic Available
Yes (18 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Bisoprolol is used to treat high blood pressure.
Common side effects
Headache, Fatigue, Dizziness
Key warnings
You should not take bisoprolol if you have cardiogenic shock, severe heart failure, a second or third-degree AV block, or a very slow heart rate.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from bisoprolol's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Bisoprolol works by blocking the effects of certain natural chemicals in your body, such as adrenaline, on the heart and blood vessels. This helps to slow down your heart rate and relax your blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure. It mainly affects the heart.
How to Take It
Take bisoprolol once a day. Your doctor will tell you what dose to take, usually starting at 5 mg. Some people may start with 2.5 mg. If 5 mg doesn't lower your blood pressure enough, your doctor may increase the dose to 10 mg or 20 mg once daily.
This is a plain-language summary of bisoprolol's FDA labeling, not individualized dosing advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber before changing how you take this medication.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if bisoprolol will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking bisoprolol during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
This is a plain-language summary of bisoprolol's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber about pregnancy or breastfeeding on this medication.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
This is a plain-language summary of bisoprolol's FDA labeling, not individualized advice. Ask a pharmacist or prescriber what to do about your specific missed dose.
Storage
Store bisoprolol at room temperature (68°F to 77°F) and protect it from moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 61,731 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for bisoprolol, by number of reports
- Difficulty breathing
Difficulty breathing
8,879 reports
- Sudden kidney damage
Sudden kidney damage
6,854 reports
- Tiredness
Tiredness
6,805 reports
- Diarrhea
Diarrhea
6,290 reports
- Feeling sick to your stomach
Feeling sick to your stomach
6,144 reports
- Feeling lightheaded
Feeling lightheaded
5,958 reports
- Interaction with another medicine
Interaction with another medicine
5,592 reports
- Low blood pressure
Low blood pressure
5,256 reports
- Falling down
Falling down
5,167 reports
- Throwing up
Throwing up
4,786 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Serious Warnings
You should not take bisoprolol if you have cardiogenic shock, severe heart failure, a second or third-degree AV block, or a very slow heart rate.
Common Questions
Can I stop taking bisoprolol suddenly?
Does bisoprolol interact with other medications?
Can I drink alcohol while taking bisoprolol?
What should I do if I feel dizzy while taking bisoprolol?
How long does it take for bisoprolol to start working?
Can bisoprolol cause weight gain?
Is bisoprolol a water pill?
Can bisoprolol cause erectile dysfunction?
What do I do if I have kidney problems?
What do I do if I have liver problems?
What are the common side effects of bisoprolol?
What drug class is bisoprolol?
Is bisoprolol safe during pregnancy?
Related Medications in Beta-1 Selective Blocker
Other drugs grouped near bisoprolol - same-class peers and common alternatives.
acebutolol
Sectral
Acebutolol is a medicine that helps lower blood pressure and control irregular heartbeats.
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aliskiren
Tekturna
Tekturna is a medicine used to treat high blood pressure.
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amiloride
Midamor
Amiloride is a water pill that helps your body hold onto potassium.
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amlodipine
Norvasc
Amlodipine (Norvasc) is a drug that lowers blood pressure and treats chest pain.
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amlodipine/benazepril
Lotrel
Lotrel is a combination medicine that contains amlodipine and benazepril.
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What the FDA Data Shows for bisoprolol
The FDA label for bisoprolol (sold under brand names such as Zebeta) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Beta-1 Selective Blocker class. Bisoprolol is used to treat high blood pressure. Official labeling lists 7 commonly reported side effects, including Headache, Fatigue, Dizziness.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 61,731 voluntary reports. Interaction data is drawn directly from FDA-approved prescribing information. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.21.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: June 26, 2023
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled and last refreshed May 2026. See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a correction.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages