If You Take the Beta-Blocker Atenolol, You Should Be Aware

[MineralMan]

that there is a nationwide shortage of the generic version of it in the U.S. The shortage has been going on for three months now, and if you have a refill coming up for your prescription, it may not be available.

The drug is used for high blood pressure and some heart conditions. If you take it, you should not suddenly stop taking it, so if it is not available when your prescription needs to be refilled, you may have to substitute another beta blocker for it.

That just happened to me, when my 90-day prescription needed refilling. My doctor prescribed a substitute for me.

Don't wait until the last minute to order a refill, since it could take a couple of days for the substitute to be prescribed.

https://www.ashp.org/drug-shortages/current-shortages/Drug-Shortage-Detail.aspx?id=1127

[MsLeopard]

1. Thank you for the information

I do indeed have a refill coming up and will call today.

This type of sharing of good information is what makes DU such a treasure. Thanks!

[MineralMan]

2. There are several substitutes for Atenolol.

The only drawback is that you may have to deal with some of the side-effects for two or three days while your body gets used to the change of medications. I have a little of that, but it's quickly diminishing. Not a big deal.

[Aristus]

3. If you're taking atenolol for hypertension, switch to something else.

Beta-blockers are not the best anti-hypertensives in the world.

If you're taking it for congestive heart failure, arrythmia, or some other non-HTN cardiac condition, switch to metoprolol, which is much more effective.

Shortage or not, I stopped prescribing atenolol a while ago.

[MineralMan]

4. Yup. Doc switched me to metoprolol for

essential tachycardia. Thanks.

[Aristus]

5. Metoprolol tartrate or metoprolol succinate?

Succinate is more effective, but not all insurance companies will pay for it.

[MineralMan]

6. succinate. Extended release, 50 mg.

[Aristus]

7. Excellent.

[MineralMan]

8. Seems to be working just fine.

Minor side effects yesterday, but almost none today.

[Thor_MN]

10. Extended Release, which makes it more expensive.

As I found out when I was recently laid off. Currently, I have no insurance as I look for another job. With insurance, around 13 cents a pill for 50 mg. Metoprolol Succinate XR is now $1.07 a pill without insurance.

Ironically, my resting pulse has gone down since being laid off - I knew something was odd at work for the couple of months before they laid me off after 9 and 3/4ths years. I always suspected they would find a way to avoid giving me the 10 year anniversary benefits.

Also ironic that my dad just got a pacemaker for bradycardia.

[MineralMan]

12. Yes, there have been a number of large price increases for

generic pharma products lately. For folks without insurance, I heartily recommend GoodRX.com. They seem to be on top of finding ways to help keep med costs down. Shopping around helps.

[lunasun]

9. Hi MM, is this one of the drugs manufactured in Puerto Rico? I heard there will be

shortages on some drugs as the factories are simply not running there
Edit to add
No corporate reason given on form you linked noted

[MineralMan]

11. I don't think so.

It's pretty much unavailable from all manufacturers right now, and has been for about three months. Nobody has explained the shortage, but there are hints that it may be an artificial one that will end with a major price increase.

That's recently become a problem with a number of generic prescription drugs. One more reason that we need to get a handle on the price of medications with some sort of governmental action, I think.

All things pharmacological are getting weird right now. I encourage everyone who is on 90-day supplies of any generic meds to order refills earlier than previously, to avoid such shenanigans. There appears to be some collaboration between pharma companies with these things.

More reason for a single-payer tax-supported healthcare system.

[Thor_MN]

13. There are 9 different manufactuerers of atenolol.

With so many different companies making it, the shortage likely is a precursor, one of the chemicals needed to make it.

The shortage was first reported in July, so it is unlikely that the hurricane in Puerto Rico is the cause, but it could have made it worse.

[MineralMan]

14. And probably, that chemical is made in some factory in China.

Our reliance on pharmaceutical chemical manufacturers there is very troubling, I think.