Tenormin 5 mg/ml Syrup
atenolol
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
- This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
- If any of the side effects get serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
In this leaflet:
- 1. What Tenormin is and what it is used for
- 2. Before you take Tenormin
- 3. How to take Tenormin
- 4. Possible side effects
- 5. How to store Tenormin
- 6. Further information
What Tenormin is and what it is used for
Tenormin contains a medicine called atenolol. This belongs to a group of medicines called beta-blockers. Tenormin is used to:
- Treat high blood pressure (hypertension).
- Treat uneven heart beats (arrhythmias).
- Help prevent chest pain (angina).
- Protect the heart in the early treatment after a heart attack (myocardial infarction).
It works by making your heart beat more slowly and with less force.
Before you take Tenormin
Do not take Tenormin if:
- You are allergic (hypersensitive) to atenolol or any of the other ingredients of Tenormin 5 mg/ml Syrup (see Section 6: Further information).
- You have ever had any of the following heart problems:
- heart failure which is not under control (this usually makes you breathless and causes your ankles to swell)
- second- or third-degree heart block (a condition which may be treated by a pacemaker)
- very slow or very uneven heart beats, very low blood pressure or very poor circulation.
- You have a tumour called phaeochromocytoma that is not being treated. This is usually near your kidney and can cause high blood pressure. If you are being treated for phaeochromocytoma, your doctor will give you another medicine, called an alphablocker, to take as well as your Tenormin.
- You have been told that you have higher than normal levels of acid in your blood (metabolic acidosis).
Do not take Tenormin if any of the above apply to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Tenormin.
Take special care with Tenormin
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Tenormin if:
- You have asthma, wheezing or any other similar breathing problems, or you get allergic reactions, for example to insect stings. If you have ever had asthma or wheezing, do not take this medicine without first checking with your doctor.
- You have a type of chest pain (angina) called Prinzmetal’s angina.
- You have poor blood circulation or controlled heart failure.
- You have first-degree heart block.
- You have diabetes. Your medicine may change how you respond to having low blood sugar. You may feel your heart beating faster.
- You have thyrotoxicosis (a condition caused by an overactive thyroid gland). Your medicine may hide the symptoms of thyrotoxicosis.
- You have problems with your kidneys. You may need to have some check-ups during your treatment.
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Tenormin.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, or have recently taken, any other medicines. This includes medicines that you buy without a prescription and herbal medicines. This is because Tenormin can affect the way some other medicines work and some medicines can have an effect on Tenormin.
In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- Clonidine (for high blood pressure or migraine). If you are taking clonidine and Tenormin together, do not stop taking clonidine unless your doctor tells you to do so. If you have to stop taking clonidine, your doctor will give you careful instructions about how to do it.
- Verapamil, diltiazem and nifedipine (for high blood pressure or chest pain).
- Disopyramide, quinidine or amiodarone (for an uneven heart beat).
- Digoxin (for heart problems).
- Adrenaline, also known as epinephrine (a medicine that stimulates the heart).
- Ibuprofen or indometacin (for pain and inflammation).
- Insulin or medicines that you take by mouth for diabetes.
- Medicines to treat nose or sinus congestion or other cold remedies (including those you can buy in the pharmacy).
Operations
If you go into hospital to have an operation, tell the anaesthetist or medical staff that you are taking Tenormin. This is because you can get low blood pressure (hypotension) if you are given certain anaesthetics while you are taking Tenormin.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Talk to your doctor before taking Tenormin if you are pregnant, may become pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Driving and using machines
- Your medicine is not likely to affect you being able to drive or use any tools or machines. However, it is best to wait to see how your medicine affects you before trying these activities.
- If you feel dizzy or tired when taking this medicine, do not drive or use any tools or machines.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Tenormin
Tenormin 5 mg/ml Syrup contains saccharin and sorbitol. If you have been told by your doctor that you cannot tolerate or digest some sugars (have an intolerance to some sugars), talk to your doctor before taking this medicine. Each 5 ml spoonful contains up to 1.4 g of sorbitol.
How to take Tenormin
Always take Tenormin exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
- Your doctor will tell you how much syrup to take each day and when to take it. Read the label on the container to remind you what the doctor said.
- Tenormin should be swallowed.
- Try to take your medicine at the same time each day.
Adults
- High blood pressure (hypertension): the usual dose is 50 mg to 100 mg (two to four 5 ml spoonfuls) a day.
- Chest pain (angina): the usual dose is 100 mg (four 5 ml spoonfuls) a day or 50 mg (two 5 ml spoonfuls) twice a day.
- Uneven heart beats (arrhythmias): the usual dose is 50 mg to 100 mg (two to four 5 ml spoonfuls) a day.
- The early treatment of a heart attack (myocardial infarction): the usual dose is 50 mg to 100 mg (two to four 5 ml spoonfuls) a day.
Elderly people
If you are an elderly person, your doctor may decide to give you a lower dose, particularly if you have problems with your kidneys.
People with kidney problems
If you have severe kidney problems your doctor may decide to give you a lower dose.
Children
Your medicine must not be given to children.
If you take more Tenormin than you should
If you take more Tenormin than prescribed by your doctor, talk to a doctor or go to a hospital straight away. Take along any left over syrup, as well as the container and label, so that the syrup can be identified.
If you forget to take Tenormin
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking Tenormin
Do not stop taking Tenormin without talking to your doctor. In some cases, you may need to stop taking it gradually.
Tenormin Syrup Side Effects
Like all medicines, Tenormin can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Allergic reactions:
If you have an allergic reaction, see a doctor straight away. The signs may include raised lumps on your skin (weals) or swelling of your face, lips, mouth, tongue or throat.
Other possible side effects:
Common (affects less than 1 in 10 people)
- You may notice that your pulse rate becomes slower while you are taking Tenormin.
This is normal, but if you are concerned please tell your doctor about it. - Cold hands and feet.
- Diarrhoea.
- Feeling sick (nausea).
- Feeling tired.
Uncommon (affects less than 1 in 100 people)
- Disturbed sleep.
Rare (affects less than 1 in 1,000 people)
- Heart block (which may cause an abnormal heart beat, dizziness, tiredness or fainting).
- Numbness and spasm in your fingers which is followed by warmth and pain (Raynaud’s disease).
- Mood changes.
- Nightmares.
- Feeling confused.
- Changes in personality (psychoses).
- Hallucinations.
- Headache.
- Dizziness, particularly when standing up.
- Tingling of your hands.
- Being unable to get an erection (impotence).
- Dry mouth.
- Dry eyes.
- Disturbances of vision.
- Thinning of your hair.
- Skin rash.
- Reduced numbers of platelets in your blood (this may make you bruise more easily).
- Purplish marks on your skin.
- Jaundice (causing yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes).
Very rare (affects less than 1 in 10,000 people)
- Changes to some of the cells or other parts of your blood. Your doctor may take blood samples every so often to check whether Tenormin has had any effect on your blood.
Conditions that may get worse
If you have any of the following conditions, they may get worse when you start to take your medicine:
- Psoriasis (a skin condition).
- Being short of breath or having swollen ankles (if you have heart failure).
- Asthma or breathing problems.
- Poor circulation.
Do not be concerned by this list of side effects. You may not get any of them. If any of the side effects get serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
How to store Tenormin
- Keep your medicine in a safe place where children cannot see or reach it. Your medicine could harm them.
- Do not store above 25°C. Store in the original container.
- Do not use your medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label. The expiry
date refers to the last day of that month.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines that are no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
Further information
What Tenormin 5 mg/ml Syrup contains
The active substance is atenolol. Tenormin 5 mg/ml Syrup contains 25 mg (milligrams) of atenolol in each 5 ml (millilitre) spoonful.
The other ingredients are citric acid, lemon and lime flavour, methylhydroxybenzoate, propylhydroxybenzoate, saccharin sodium, sodium citrate, sorbitol and water.
Contents of the pack
Tenormin 5 mg/ml Syrup comes in bottles of 300 ml.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
The Marketing Authorisation for Tenormin 5 mg/ml Syrup is held by
Tenormin 5 mg/ml Syrup is manufactured by
To listen to or request a copy of this leaflet in Braille, large print or audio please call, free of charge:
0800 198 5000 (UK only)
Please be ready to give the following information:
Product name: Tenormin 5 mg/ml Syrup
Reference number: 17901/0051
This is a service provided by the Royal National Institute of Blind People.
Leaflet prepared: October 2007.
© AstraZeneca 2007.
Tenormin is a trade mark of the AstraZeneca group of companies.
CV 07 0213
P020754
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