Beta-Blockers: Summary of affordable alternatives
Costs for beta-blockers - used by tens of millions of Americans to treat high blood pressure and other heart ailments - vary from around $10 to more than $250 a month.
This report gives you information that could save you $1,000 to $2,000 a year if you are currently taking a brand name beta-blocker instead of a generic, or hundreds of dollars a year if you are taking a higher cost generic.
Beta-blockers are effective, life-saving medicines with over 25 years of widespread and generally safe use. This report compares the effectiveness, safety, and cost of 14 beta blockers in the treatment of high blood pressure, angina, heart attack and heart failure.
Taking effectiveness, safety and cost into account, we have selected the following seven beta-blockers, at all appropriate doses, as Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs:
- For high blood pressure — metoprolol tartrate, nadolol, and propranolol.
- For angina — atenolol, metoprolol tartrate, nadolol, and propranolol.
- After a heart attack — atenolol, metoprolol tartrate, and propranolol .
- For mild heart failure — bisoprolol and metoprolol succinate (Toprol XL).
- For severe heart failure — carvedilol (Coreg) .
All but two of these medicines are low-cost generics. All have been proven to be either just as effective or superior to other beta-blockers.
All beta-blockers are effective against high blood pressure. But because people with high blood pressure may respond to the various beta-blockers differently, you may have to try more than one before finding the drug that works best for you. Beta-blockers are considered "second step" treatment — after diuretics (widely known as "water pills) - if you only have high blood pressure and no other heart condition. They are best used in combination with other blood pressure medicines in the treatment of high blood pressure.
In contrast, if you have angina, heart failure or if you have had a heart attack — with or without high blood pressure — our Best Buy beta-blockers may well be a first step treatment for you.
Beta–Blockers: Cost Comparison and Best Buy Drugs
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| Recommendations: Beta-Blockers | ||||||
| CR Best Buy | Generic Name and Dose | Brand Name1 | Frequency of Use (Per Day)2 | Average Monthly Cost3 | Best Buy Indication | Compare Prices |
| Acebutolol 200mg | Sectral | Two | $203 |  |
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| Acebutolol 200mg | Generic | Two | $46 | |
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| Acebutolol 400mg | Sectral | Two | $265 | |
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| Acebutolol 400mg | Generic | Two | $58 | |
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| Atenolol 25mg | Tenormin | One | $51 | |
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Atenolol 25mg | Generic | One | $11 | High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack | |
| Atenolol 50mg | Tenormin | One | $51 | |
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Atenolol 50mg | Generic | One | $11 | High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack | |
| Atenolol 100mg | Lotensin | One | $77 | |
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Atenolol 100mg | Generic | One | $14 | High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack | |
| Betaxolol 10mg | Kerlone | One | $46 | |
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| Betaxolol 10mg | Generic | One | $30 | |
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| Betaxolol 20mg | Kerlone | One | $71 | |
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| Betaxolol 20mg | Generic | One | $44 | |
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| Bisoprolol 5mg | Zebeta | One | $82 | |
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Bisoprolol 5mg | Generic | One | $39 | Mild to Moderate Heart Failure | |
| Bisoprolol 10mg | Zebeta | One | $86 | |
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Bisoprolol 10mg | Generic | One | $40 | Mild to Moderate Heart Failure | |
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Carvedilol 6.25mg | Coreg | Two | $139 | Severe Heart Failure | |
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Carvedilol 12.5mg | Coreg | Two | $139 | Severe Heart Failure | |
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Carvedilol 25mg | Coreg | Two | $138 | Severe Heart Failure | |
| Labetalol 100mg | Normodyne | Two | $52 | |
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| Labetalol 100mg | Trandate | Two | $48 | |
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| Labetalol 100mg | Generic | Two | $26 | |
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| Labetalol 200mg | Normodyne | Two | $59 | |
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| Labetalol 100mg | Trandate | Two | $64 | |
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| Labetalol 200mg | Generic | Two | $34 | |
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| Labetalol 300mg | Normodyne | Two | $87 | |
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| Labetalol 300mg | Generic | Two | $45 | |
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| Metoprolol tartrate 50mg | Lopressor | One | $41 | |
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Metoprolol tartrate 25 or 50mg | Generic | One4 | $9 | High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack | |
| Metoprolol tartrate 100mg | Lopressor | One | $60 | |
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Metoprolol tartrate 100mg | Generic | One4 | $12 | High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack | |
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Metoprolol succinate (sustained release) 25 or 50mg | Toprol XL | One | $36 | Mild to Moderate Heart Failure | |
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Metoprolol succinate (sustained release) 100mg | Toprol XL | One | $49 | Mild to Moderate Heart Failure | |
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Metoprolol succinate (sustained release) 200mg | Toprol XL | One | $79 | Mild to Moderate Heart Failure | |
| Nadolol 20mg | Corgard | One | $67 | |
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Nadolol 20mg | Generic | One | $18 | High Blood Pressure, Angina | |
| Nadolol 40mg | Corgard | One | $76 | |
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Nadolol 40mg | Generic | One | $21 | High Blood Pressure, Angina | |
| Nadolol 80mg | Corgard | One | $105 | |
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Nadolol 80mg | Generic | One | $27 | High Blood Pressure, Angina | |
| Penbutolol 20mg | Levatol | One | $70 | |
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| Pindolol 5mg | Generic | Two | $32 | |
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| Pindolol 10mg | Generic | Two | $45 | |
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| Propranolol 10mg | Inderal | Two | $37 | |
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Propranolol 10mg | Generic | Two | $13 | High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack | |
| Propranolol 20mg | Inderal | Two | $51 | |
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Propranolol 20mg | Generic | Two | $13 | High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack | |
| Propranolol 40mg | Inderal | Two | $62 | |
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Propranolol 40mg | Generic | Two | $16 | |
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| Propranolol 60mg | Inderal | Two | $88 | |
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Propranolol 60mg | Generic | Two | $38 | High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack | |
| Propranolol 80mg | Inderal | Two | $93 | |
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Propranolol 80mg | Generic | Two | $20 | High Blood Pressure, Angina, Heart Attack | |
| Propranolol (sustained release) 80mg | Inderal-LA | One | $58 | |
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| Propranolol (sustained release) 80mg | Generic | One | $37 | |
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| Propranolol (sustained release) 120mg | Inderal-LA | One | $72 | |
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| Propranolol (sustained release) 120mg | Generic | One | $84 | |
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| Timolol 10mg | Blocadren | Two | $83 | |
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| Timolol 10mg | Generic | Two | $30 | |
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| Timolol 20mg | Generic | Two | $55 | |
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(1) "Generic" indicates that this drug is sold by its generic name. For example, in this table, for the first drug listed, acebutolol
is the generic or chemical name and Sectral is the brand name. Both are available and they have the very same
active ingredient. In column 3, when the word "generic" appears, the price given is for the generic version.
(2) As typically prescribed.
(3) Prices reflect nationwide retail averages for September 2006, rounded to the nearest dollar; information derived by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs from data provided by Wolters Kluwer Health, Pharmaceutical Audit Suite.
(4) Twice a day dosing is common for people with angina or who have had a heart attack.
(2) As typically prescribed.
(3) Prices reflect nationwide retail averages for September 2006, rounded to the nearest dollar; information derived by Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs from data provided by Wolters Kluwer Health, Pharmaceutical Audit Suite.
(4) Twice a day dosing is common for people with angina or who have had a heart attack.
Related Conditions
Learn more about conditions treated with Beta-Blockers.
