Betaxolol Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 16, 2025.

Applies to betaxolol: oral tablet.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to make sure this medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects .

Betaxolol may cause heart failure in some patients. Check with your doctor right away if you are having chest pain or discomfort; dilated neck veins; extreme fatigue; irregular breathing; an irregular heartbeat; shortness of breath; swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs; weight gain; or wheezing .

This medicine may cause changes in your blood sugar levels. Also, this medicine may cover up signs of low blood sugar, such as a rapid pulse rate. Check with your doctor if you have these problems or if you notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar tests .

Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. You may need to stop using this medicine several days before having surgery .

This medicine may cause some people to become less alert than they are normally. If this side effect occurs, do not drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert while taking betaxolol .

Serious side effects of betaxolol

Along with its needed effects, betaxolol may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking betaxolol:

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur while taking betaxolol:

Symptoms of overdose

• anxiety
• blurred vision
• chills
• cold sweats
• coma
• confusion
• convulsions (seizures)
• cool, pale skin
• decreased urine output
• depression
• dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
• extreme fatigue
• headache
• increased hunger
• irregular breathing
• loss of consciousness
• nervousness
• nightmares
• noisy breathing
• shakiness
• slurred speech
• sweating
• troubled breathing
• weight gain
• unusual tiredness or weakness

Other side effects of betaxolol

Some side effects of betaxolol may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

For healthcare professionals

Applies to betaxolol: oral tablet.

General adverse events

The more commonly reported side effects include bradycardia, fatigue, lethargy, and headache.^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Common (1% to 10%): Chest pain, bradycardia, edema, palpitations, cold extremities
• Frequency not reported: Angina pectoris, arrhythmia, atrioventricular (AV) block, heart failure, hypertension, hypotension, myocardial infarction, thrombosis, thrombophlebitis, peripheral ischemia, intermittent claudication^[Ref]

Bradycardia occurred as a dose-related effect in clinical trials. In clinical trials, bradycardia occurred in 8.1% of patients given this drug compared to 12% of patients given equivalent doses of atenolol. Symptomatic bradycardia occurred in 0.8% of patients taking this drug versus 1.4% of patients treated with equivalent doses of propranolol.

Angina pectoris, arrhythmia, AV block, heart failure, hypertension, hypotension, myocardial infarction, thrombosis, syncope, cerebrovascular disorder, intermittent claudication, peripheral ischemia, and thrombophlebitis occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Dyspnea, pharyngitis, rhinitis, upper respiratory infection
• Frequency not reported: Bronchitis, bronchospasm, cough, epistaxis, pneumonia, sinusitis^[Ref]

Bronchitis, bronchospasm, cough, epistaxis, pneumonia, and sinusitis occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Joint pain, myalgia, arthralgia
• Frequency not reported: Twitching, arthropathy, neck pain, muscle cramps, tendonitis, leg cramps^[Ref]

Twitching, arthropathy, neck pain, muscle cramps, tendonitis, and leg cramps occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Common (1% to 10%): Headache, dizziness, paresthesia, lethargy
• Frequency not reported: Ataxia, neuralgia, neuropathy, numbness, speech disorder, stupor, tremor, syncope, amnesia, impaired concentration, taste loss, cerebrovascular disorder, abnormal taste^[Ref]

Ataxia, neuralgia, neuropathy, numbness, speech disorder, stupor, tremor, syncope, amnesia, impaired concentration, taste loss, cerebrovascular disorder, and abnormal taste occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, dyspepsia, diarrhea
• Frequency not reported: Salivation, mouth ulceration, rectal disorders, vomiting, dysphagia, constipation, dry mouth^[Ref]

Salivation, mouth ulceration, dry mouth, rectal disorders, vomiting, dysphagia, and constipation occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Hematologic

• Frequency not reported: Anemia, leukocytosis, lymphadenopathy, thrombocytopenia^[Ref]

Anemia, leukocytosis, lymphadenopathy, and thrombocytopenia occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Common (1% to 10%): Impotence
• Frequency not reported: Menstrual disorder, Peyronie's disease, prostatitis, proteinuria, micturition disorder, dysuria^[Ref]

Menstrual disorder, Peyronie's disease, prostatitis, proteinuria, dysuria, and micturition disorder occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Rash
• Frequency not reported: Flushing, sweating, purpura, skin disorders, hypertrichosis, erythematous rash, eczema, alopecia, pruritus^[Ref]

Flushing, sweating, purpura, pruritus, skin disorders, hypertrichosis, erythematous rash, eczema, and alopecia occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Immunologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Antinuclear antibody (ANA) development
• Frequency not reported: Flu^[Ref]

In clinical trials, ANA conversion occurred in 5.3%, 6.3%, 4.9%, and 3.2% of patients taking this drug, atenolol, propranolol, and placebo, respectively.

Flu occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Nervousness, bizarre dreams, depression, insomnia
• Frequency not reported: Abnormal thinking, confusion, emotional lability, hallucinations, decreased libido^[Ref]

Abnormal thinking, confusion, emotional lability, hallucinations, and decreased libido occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Metabolic

• Frequency not reported: Anorexia, increased appetite, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, hyperkalemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, hypokalemia, weight gain, weight loss, increased LDH, acidosis, diabetes^[Ref]

Anorexia, increased appetite, acidosis, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, hyperkalemia, hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, hypokalemia, weight gain, weight loss, increased LDH, diabetes occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Ocular

• Frequency not reported: Scotoma, ocular hemorrhage, iritis, dry eyes, conjunctivitis, cataract, blepharitis, abnormal lacrimation, abnormal vision^[Ref]

Scotoma, ocular hemorrhage, iritis, dry eyes, conjunctivitis, cataract, blepharitis, abnormal lacrimation, and abnormal vision occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Other

• Frequency not reported: Fever, malaise, pain, rigors, asthenia, fatigue, earache, labyrinth disorders, deafness, thirst, breast pain, tinnitus^[Ref]

Fever, malaise, pain, rigors, earache, labyrinth disorders, deafness, thirst, breast pain, and tinnitus occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Renal

• Frequency not reported: Renal pain, oliguria, cystitis, abnormal renal function^[Ref]

Renal pain, oliguria, cystitis, and abnormal renal function occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Frequency not reported: Increased liver transaminases^[Ref]

Increased liver transaminases occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Oncologic

• Frequency not reported: Breast fibroadenosis^[Ref]

Breast fibroadenosis occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

• Frequency not reported: Allergy^[Ref]

Allergy occurred in less than 2% of patients treated with this drug in open and controlled long-term clinical studies or in marketing experience.^[Ref]

See also:

Further information

Betaxolol side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

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