11th October 2009, 10:19 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: china
Posts: 57
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Atenolol: Blood Pressure Lowering Drug
Atenolol is commonly used to lower blood pressure. It is one of a group of drugs called beta-blockers that have been around for a long time. This means the drug is well understood and all its effects on the body are known. All the beta-blockers work on the heart, lungs, peripheral vascular system, pancreas, uterus, kidneys and brain. They reduce blood pressure by simultaneously slowing the heart rate and dilating blood vessels. The different beta-blockers vary in how specific they are, primarily, to the heart. Atenolol is a preferred beta-blocker because it is more specific for the heart than older drugs in the same class. This reduces unwanted effects.
The normal dose varies from 25mg to 100mg a day, but there is lot of evidence that 50mg is just effective as 100mg. The dose usually only needs to be taken once a day, at the same time each day, as each dose lasts for twenty four hours in the body. People with kidney problems will need lower doses. If you miss a dose by more than eight hours wait for the next day and just take your usual dose. Don't double up.
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