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Atenolol in Human Plasma and Breast Milk

Departments of Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut; and National Medical Services, Willow Grove, Pennsylvania.

Abstract

To assess the problem of continuing atenolol in a breastfeeding mother with hypertension associated with thyrotoxicosis, studies were performed to determine simultaneous plasma and breast milk concentrations of atenolol after a single dose of 50 mg and on continuous therapy of varying weekly dosages. Peak atenolol concentrations in breast milk were 3.6 times higher than simultaneous plasma atenolol concentrations after single-dose administration and 2.9 times higher after continuous-dose administration. A single plasma concentration obtained in the infant following a peak level feeding was less than 10 ng/ml. Although it would seem unlikely that the amount of atenolol excretion in breast milk should warrant interruption of breast-feeding because of maternal medication with ordinary doses, the infant should be evaluated for signs of ß-blockade.