Compare Atenolol vs. Bisoprolol

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.

Zebeta (Bisoprolol)

Prescription only

Lowers blood pressure and controls heart rate.

Tenormin (atenolol) is good for controlling chest pain and treating a heart attack. It has fewer side effects than other beta blockers. You need to take it on an empty stomach and you can't skip doses.

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3.6/ 5 average rating with 457 reviewsforAtenolol

Lowers blood pressure.

Zebeta (Bisoprolol) is usually given to people who have taken other blood pressure meds unsuccessfully or have recently had significant heart problems.

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4.0/ 5 average rating with 18 reviewsforBisoprolol

Upsides

A first-choice treatment to prevent chest pain (angina).
A first-choice treatment for heart attack recovery.
At lower doses, Tenormin (atenolol) has fewer side effects than other beta blockers because it targets the heart and not other parts of the body.

Good for protecting the heart and lowering blood pressure if you've had a heart attack.
Available in a generic version.
Also comes in combination with other medications to lower blood pressure.

Downsides

You need to take Tenormin (atenolol) on an empty stomach.
Taking a beta blocker might make you feel more tired or out of breath during exercise or normal daily routines. This gets better for most people, but it might not go away for others.
Not a first-choice treatment for high blood pressure unless you have heart disease. However, your doctor could add it to other medicines you're already if your blood pressure is still too high.
You can't miss or skip doses. If you stop Tenormin (atenolol) suddenly, it can cause your blood pressure to go up really quickly, raising your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Tenormin (atenolol) can hide symptoms of low blood sugar if you're diabetic.

This isn't a first choice medication to lower blood pressure.
You can't stop taking it suddenly, or else you're more likely to have a heart attack or other problems with your heart.

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