Comparing Amiodarone vs Atenolol

View side-by-side comparisons of medication uses, ratings, cost, side effects and interactions.
Amiodarone	Atenolol	Enter another drug to compare

Amiodarone

Atenolol

Prescription only

Amiodarone should ONLY be used in the treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias that have not responded to other treatments. Amiodarone does not appear to increase life expectancy and can... View more

Prescription only

Atenolol works on heart-specific receptors to lower blood pressure and slow heart rate; however, this selective effect on the heart may be lost with dosages greater than 50mg/day which increases the... View more

More about Amiodarone

More about Atenolol

Ratings & Reviews

Amiodarone has an average rating of 4.9 out of 10 from a total of 95 ratings on Drugs.com. 39% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 48% reported a negative effect.

Atenolol has an average rating of 7.2 out of 10 from a total of 276 ratings on Drugs.com. 63% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 18% reported a negative effect.

View all 95 reviews

View all 276 reviews

Side Effects Experienced by Users Side effects are reported in Drugs.com user reviews and not clinically verified.

Tiredness (14.7%)
Dizziness (10.5%)
Insomnia (10.5%)
Shortness of breath (10.5%)
Weakness (6.3%)
Constipation (5.3%)
Cough (5.3%)

View all Amiodarone side effects

Dizziness (11.2%)
Tiredness (9.4%)
Anxiety (6.5%)
Depression (6.5%)
Chest pain (5.4%)
Heart palpitations (5.1%)
Insomnia (5.1%)

View all Atenolol side effects

Drug Class

Group III antiarrhythmics

Cardioselective beta blockers

Generic Availability

Lower cost generic

Pricing and Coupons * Prices are without insurance

Quantity	100 each
Strength	200 mg
Per unit^*	$0.28 - $0.52
Cost^*	$27.86 - $52.44

View all Amiodarone prices

Quantity	30 tablet
Strength	50 mg
Per unit^*	$0.39 - $0.89
Cost^*	$11.55 - $26.64

View all Atenolol prices

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Dosage Forms

Intravenous solution
Oral tablet

Oral tablet

Half Life Drug half-life is the time required for plasma concentration to reduce to half its original value.

240 hours

6.2 hours

CSA Schedule ¹ View glossary of CSA terms

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Not a controlled drug

Is not subject to the Controlled Substances Act.

Pregnancy Category

Category D Positive evidence of risk

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Category D Positive evidence of risk

See the full pregnancy warnings document.

Drug Interactions

A total of 746 drugs are known to interact with Amiodarone:

279 major drug interactions (953 brand and generic names)
429 moderate drug interactions (1620 brand and generic names)
38 minor drug interactions (191 brand and generic names)

A total of 477 drugs are known to interact with Atenolol:

27 major drug interactions (132 brand and generic names)
420 moderate drug interactions (3124 brand and generic names)
30 minor drug interactions (212 brand and generic names)

Alcohol/Food/Lifestyle Interactions

Amiodarone may be taken with or without food but should be taken at the same way each time. You... View more

You may take atenolol with or without food, but take it the same way every time. Avoid consumption... View more
Atenolol and alcohol may have additive effects in lowering your blood pressure. You may experience... View more

Disease Interactions

First Approval Date

December 24, 1985

August 19, 1981

WADA Class View classifications

N/A

P1 - Beta-Blockers

More Information

Patient Resources

Professional Resources

¹ The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) schedule information displayed applies to substances regulated under federal law. There may be variations in CSA schedules between individual states.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer

Comparing Amiodarone vs Atenolol

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