Pharmacologic class (EPC) · 22 drug pages

beta-Adrenergic blocker: adverse event reports filed with FDA

148,208 reports list a drug in this class as a suspect or interacting product, 2004–2026.

Read first · FDA's statement on these data

Adverse event reports submitted to FDA do not undergo extensive validation or verification. Therefore, a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report. While a suspected relationship may exist, it is not medically validated and should not be the sole source of information for clinical decision making or other assumptions about the safety or efficacy of a product. Additionally, it is important to remember that adverse event reports represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product. Common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product. openFDA, FDA

FDA adds: "There is no certainty that the reported event (adverse event or medication error) was actually due to the product. FDA does not require that a causal relationship between a product and event be proven, and reports do not always contain enough detail to properly evaluate an event." The information in these reports "cannot be used to estimate the incidence of these events."

Do not rely on openFDA to make decisions regarding medical care. While we make every effort to ensure that data is accurate, you should assume all results are unvalidated.

Not medical advice. This site counts what was reported to FDA. Questions about a medicine or device belong with a pharmacist or clinician.

148,208
reports across the class: 0.7% of all reports; 8,580
reports, 12 months to June 2026: 11,679 in the 12 months before; 78.7%
marked serious by the reporter: 57.4% across all reports; 22
drugs with a page: brand and generic names counted separately

beta-Adrenergic blocker is a pharmacologic class (an FDA Established Pharmacologic Class) with 22 drug pages on this site. Together those drugs are listed as a suspect or interacting product in 148,208 adverse event reports received by FDA, 0.7% of the database, from January 2004 to June 2026.

8,580 reports arrived in the 12 months to June 2026, down 27% from 11,679 in the 12 months before. FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases. 78.7% of the class's reports are marked serious, 13.1% record death among the outcomes and 38.7% record hospitalisation, as reported.

Across the class the reactions recorded most often are drug ineffective (9.1%), off label use (8.1%) and hypotension (7.6%). The class median share shown beside each term is the middle value across the member drugs; it is the comparison used on every drug page in this class.

The members table is ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."

Drugs in the class

Drug	Name type	Reports	Latest 12 months	Marked serious	Top term recorded
Metoprolol	generic	27,410	1,520	88.2%	Completed suicide
BisoprololBisoprolol fumarate	brand	22,881	1,454	99.1%	Dyspnoea
Atenolol	generic	17,022	444	84.9%	Hypotension
Propranolol	generic	13,733	1,177	87.1%	Off label use
Metoprolol succinate	generic	10,416	664	65.4%	Off label use
Metoprolol tartrate	generic	9,103	557	72.4%	Hypotension
Bisoprolol fumarate	generic	8,292	546	98.2%	Dyspnoea
Propranolol hydrochloride	generic	6,102	484	71.9%	Off label use
Timolol	generic	4,818	97	20.7%	Treatment failure
HemangeolPropranolol hydrochloride	brand	4,383	441	5.4%	Off label use
Nebivolol	generic	4,211	386	93.9%	Hypotension
Toprol XlMetoprolol succinate	brand	3,341	35	44.5%	Off label use
Labetalol	generic	2,960	192	88.7%	Foetal exposure during pregnancy
BystolicNebivolol hydrochloride	brand	2,841	21	31.1%	Dizziness
Timolol maleate	generic	2,743	120	29.9%	Treatment failure
TenorminAtenolol	brand	1,786	14	80.2%	Bradycardia
Nadolol	generic	1,763	56	86.5%	Drug ineffective
LopressorMetoprolol tartrate	brand	1,418	207	71.9%	Dizziness
Acebutolol hydrochloride	generic	965	34	96.1%	Cognitive disorder
Labetalol hydrochloride	generic	791	88	80.7%	Maternal exposure during pregnancy
Nebivolol hydrochloride	generic	723	34	94.6%	Bradycardia
TimopticTimolol maleate	brand	506	9	51.8%	Eye irritation

Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic."

Reports by month, five years

FDA releases FAERS data quarterly, so the newest months are incomplete and grow in later releases.

Reactions recorded across the class

share of class reports recording the termmedian drug in the class

Drug ineffectivethe medicine did not work as expected9.1%13,466
Off label useused for a purpose or in a way not on the label8.1%11,933
Hypotensionlow blood pressure7.6%11,291
Dyspnoeashortness of breath6.8%10,016
Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness6.3%9,388
Bradycardiaslow heart rate6.2%9,179
Fatiguetiredness5.5%8,114
Completed suicidedeath by suicide5.1%7,632
Toxicity to various agentspoisoning or toxic effect of one or more substances5%7,402
Nauseafeeling sick4.8%7,139
Drug interactionan interaction between medicines4.7%6,983
Falla fall4.7%6,918
Headachehead pain4.3%6,350
Malaisegeneral feeling of being unwell3.8%5,670
Hypertensionhigh blood pressure3.6%5,287
Diarrhoealoose or frequent stools3.4%5,100
Astheniaweakness or lack of energy3.3%4,823
Treatment failurethe treatment did not work3.2%4,805
Syncopefainting3.2%4,674
Blood pressure increaseda raised blood pressure reading3.1%4,527
Vomitingbeing sick2.9%4,339
Coughcough2.9%4,323
Painpain, site not specified2.9%4,237
Product use in unapproved indicationused for a purpose not on the label2.9%4,235
Atrial fibrillationan irregular heart rhythm2.7%3,930

Solid bar: share of all class reports. Hollow bar: the median share across the 22 member drugs, the reference used on each member's page. One report can record several terms.

Outcomes, patients and reporters

Outcomes recorded

Death13.1%19,448

Life-threatening7.5%11,102

Hospitalisation (initial or prolonged)38.7%57,373

Disability2.1%3,167

Congenital anomaly1%1,472

Other serious48.1%71,325

Not serious21.3%31,508

Patient age

Under 22.2%3,237

2 to 110.6%869

12 to 170.9%1,291

18 to 4410.3%15,245

45 to 6420.9%30,914

65 to 7415.1%22,389

75 and over19.4%28,746

Age not given30.7%45,517

Who reported

Physician27.7%41,085

Pharmacist9.6%14,172

Other health professional30.8%45,671

Lawyer0.1%123

Consumer or non-health professional26.8%39,742

Not given5%7,415

Grey bar: all 20,646,523 reports in the database. Outcome flags are as the reporter set them and are not verified by FDA.

Questions about beta-Adrenergic blocker reports

Which drugs are in the beta-Adrenergic blocker class on this site?

Metoprolol, Bisoprolol, Atenolol, Propranolol, Metoprolol succinate and Metoprolol tartrate and 16 more. Class membership comes from the pharmacologic class (EPC) on the drug's FDA label.

How many reports does the class have?

148,208 reports through June 2026, 8,580 of them in the latest 12 months. A report listing two drugs of the class counts once for each.

What reactions are recorded most often?

drug ineffective (9.1%), off label use (8.1%), hypotension (7.6%), dyspnoea (6.8%) and dizziness (6.3%).

Can the members table be used to rank the drugs?

No. FDA states that adverse event reports "represent a small percentage of total usage numbers of a product", that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product", and that the data "by themselves are not an indicator of the safety profile of the drug or biologic." Drugs differ in how many people take them, in the conditions they treat, in time on the market and in how diligently reports are collected.

How do I report an adverse event?

Through FDA MedWatch (Form FDA 3500, or 1-800-FDA-1088) or to the manufacturer. See the guide on how to report.

Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Drug Adverse Event (FAERS) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 30 Jun 2026. Drug names are as reported, resolved to the brand or generic name on the FDA label where openFDA's harmonisation matched them; classes are the pharmacologic class (EPC) from the label and the National Drug Code Directory of 17 Sep 2026. A class is the Established Pharmacologic Class most often attached to a drug's reports by openFDA's label harmonisation, or from the NDC Directory where reports carry none. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.

Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.