Betaxolol
Betaxolol is a beta-blocker available as eye drops to treat glaucoma and elevated eye pressure, and as tablets to treat high blood pressure.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 3 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
📖 Betaxolol: Patient Information Guide
A plain-language walkthrough of Betaxolol — what it treats, how it works, how it’s taken, side effects, warnings and interactions. Tap any section to expand it.
🎯What it's used for▾
Betaxolol is available in two distinct forms for different conditions — the eye drops and the tablet are not interchangeable.
- Eye drops (Betaxolol, Betaxolol Hydrochloride, Betoptic S — ophthalmic): Lower elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in chronic open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertension. May be used alone or with other glaucoma-lowering medications.
- Tablets (Betaxolol, Betaxolol Hydrochloride — oral): Management of high blood pressure (hypertension). May be used alone or combined with other antihypertensive agents, particularly thiazide-type diuretics.
⚙️How it works▾
Betaxolol is a cardioselective (beta-1 preferring) beta-blocker. It binds to beta-1 adrenergic receptors — found mainly in the heart — and blocks the stimulating signals that speed up the heart and raise blood pressure. This reduces heart rate, cardiac output, and the overall workload on the heart, which brings blood pressure down. When applied as eye drops, betaxolol reduces the production of aqueous humor (the fluid that fills the front of the eye), which relieves elevated eye pressure. Because it preferentially targets beta-1 receptors rather than the beta-2 receptors in the lungs, ophthalmic betaxolol has minimal effect on breathing and cardiovascular parameters.
It's worth knowing that this selectivity is not absolute — at higher doses, some effect on beta-2 receptors (in the bronchial airways and blood vessels) can occur, which is why caution is still needed in people with lung disease.
💊How it's taken▾
How betaxolol is taken depends entirely on the form prescribed — the eye drops and tablets have completely separate regimens.
- Tablets (oral): Taken once daily by mouth, with or without food. The full antihypertensive effect usually develops within 7–14 days. Never stop the tablets abruptly — your doctor will guide you to taper off over about two weeks. Older adults and people with severe kidney disease may need a lower starting dose.
- Eye drops: Betaxolol and Betaxolol Hydrochloride ophthalmic solutions are instilled one to two drops in the affected eye(s) twice daily. Betoptic S suspension is instilled as one drop twice daily and must be shaken well before use. If other eye drops are also prescribed, wait at least 10 minutes before using Betoptic S. It may take a few weeks for IOP-lowering effects to fully stabilize.
🤒Side effects — in detail▾
Most side effects from betaxolol are mild and typical of beta-blockers. Common ones include:
- Slow heart rate (bradycardia)
- Fatigue and lethargy
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Headache
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- Nausea
- Impotence (reported with oral tablets)
- Eye stinging or discomfort (with eye drops)
More serious reactions that require prompt medical attention include signs of heart failure, severe breathing difficulty or wheezing (bronchospasm), very low blood pressure, or dangerously slow heart rate. Betaxolol can also trigger or worsen myasthenia gravis symptoms (muscle weakness, double vision, drooping eyelids).
⚠️Warnings & precautions▾
- Do not stop tablets suddenly if you have coronary artery disease — abrupt withdrawal can trigger worsening chest pain (angina) or heart attack. Always taper gradually over about two weeks.
- Heart failure: Beta-blockers can worsen the heart's ability to pump. At the first signs of cardiac failure, discontinue betaxolol and contact your doctor immediately.
- Lung disease: Patients with bronchospastic disease (asthma, severe COPD) should generally avoid oral betaxolol. Even the eye drops carry a small risk of bronchospasm through systemic absorption.
- Diabetes: Betaxolol can mask a racing heartbeat — the usual warning sign of low blood sugar. Monitor blood sugar carefully and be alert to other hypoglycemia symptoms like dizziness and sweating.
- Thyroid disease: Betaxolol can hide signs of an overactive thyroid. Stopping it abruptly in someone with thyroid disease can trigger a dangerous thyroid storm.
- Surgery: Tell your anesthesiologist you take betaxolol — it affects the heart's response during general anesthesia.
- Severe allergic reactions: Betaxolol can make the standard epinephrine dose used to treat anaphylaxis less effective.
🔀What it interacts with▾
Betaxolol can interact with several medications that also affect heart rate, blood pressure, or the cardiovascular system. Key interactions include:
- Catecholamine-depleting drugs (e.g., reserpine): Combined use can cause a pronounced drop in blood pressure and heart rate, leading to dizziness or fainting.
- Calcium channel blockers (verapamil, diltiazem): Can cause dangerous low blood pressure, heart block, or heart failure when combined with betaxolol. Dihydropyridine types (e.g., nifedipine) are more likely to cause hypotension.
- Digoxin (digitalis glycosides): Both slow AV conduction and heart rate; combined use increases the risk of bradycardia.
- Amiodarone: Adds to betaxolol's heart-slowing effects.
- Disopyramide: Has been linked to severe bradycardia, cardiac arrest, and heart failure when combined with beta-blockers.
- Clonidine: If discontinuing both, the beta-blocker must be tapered first before gradually withdrawing clonidine.
- Anesthetic agents: Certain anesthetics (ether, cyclopropane, trichloroethylene) that depress the heart require extra caution in patients on betaxolol.
This is not a complete list of interactions. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
📋Before taking it▾
- Tell your doctor if you have asthma or significant lung disease — betaxolol tablets are generally not recommended, and even the eye drops carry some risk through absorption.
- Betaxolol is contraindicated (must not be used) in people with sinus bradycardia, second- or third-degree heart block, overt cardiac failure, or cardiogenic shock.
- Betaxolol should not be used in people with untreated pheochromocytoma (a type of adrenal gland tumor).
- Diabetic patients — especially those on insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents — should use betaxolol with caution, as it can mask hypoglycemia symptoms.
- People with a history of severe allergic reactions should be aware that betaxolol may reduce the effectiveness of epinephrine used for anaphylaxis treatment.
- Patients with kidney disease (especially severe impairment or those on dialysis) may need a lower starting dose of the tablets.
- Older adults are more prone to bradycardia from beta-blockers and may need a lower starting dose.
- Pregnancy: Betoptic S should be used in pregnancy only if the benefit clearly outweighs the risk. Oral beta-blockers have been associated with reduced fetal growth when taken systemically.
- Breastfeeding: Beta-blockers pass into breast milk after oral use. It is unknown whether the eye drops result in significant levels in breast milk — discuss with your doctor.
- Children: The IOP-lowering effect and safety of Betoptic S has been demonstrated in pediatric patients in a controlled clinical trial.
🚑If you take too much▾
Taking too much betaxolol (oral) can cause a very slow heart rate, low blood pressure, heart failure, bronchospasm, and low blood sugar. If an overdose is suspected, stop the medication and seek emergency care immediately. Hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis does not remove significant amounts of betaxolol from the body.
📡Pharmacodynamics — effects in the body▾
When used as eye drops, betaxolol begins lowering intraocular pressure within about 30 minutes, with the maximum effect seen around 2 hours after application. A single dose provides roughly 12 hours of pressure reduction. Ophthalmic betaxolol has been shown to have minimal effect on heart rate, blood pressure, and lung function at normal doses. When taken as oral tablets, betaxolol reduces resting and exercise heart rate, lowers both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and decreases cardiac workload.
🔬Pharmacokinetics — how your body processes it▾
When taken by mouth, betaxolol is almost completely absorbed, with about 89% of the dose reaching the bloodstream; food and alcohol do not meaningfully affect absorption. The drug is processed mainly by the liver and excreted through the kidneys, with an elimination half-life (the time for half the drug to leave the body) typically ranging from 14 to 22 hours — long enough to allow once-daily dosing, with steady levels reached after about 5 to 7 days. People with severe kidney disease or on dialysis clear the drug more slowly and may need a lower dose; liver disease has only a modest effect on clearance.
📦How to store it▾
Store at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) with excursions permitted between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F) . Dispense in a tight container as defined in the USP, with a child-resistant closure (as required).
📄 Written from Betaxolol’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Every point is grounded in that labeling — nothing is invented. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Betaxolol
143 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Betaxolol in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Major · 5
- Moderate · 118
- Minor · 20
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
Nutrient depletion considerations
Betaxolol has been associated with lower levels of 1 nutrient in the clinical literature. This does not mean a deficiency will occur — it means these may be worth discussing with your pharmacist or healthcare provider, especially with long-term use.
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — not medical advice. Do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
🩺 Pharmacist Counseling Corner
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Betaxolol — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
I'm getting the eye drops for glaucoma — will they affect my heart or lungs like a regular beta-blocker pill would? ▾
Can I just stop taking my betaxolol tablets if I feel fine and my blood pressure seems okay? ▾
I have diabetes. Is there anything special I need to know about taking betaxolol? ▾
I use Betoptic S and also wear soft contact lenses. Is that a problem? ▾
How long does it take for the eye drops to start working, and what if my eye pressure isn't improving? ▾
Is betaxolol safe to take during pregnancy? ▾
Is Betaxolol available over the counter? ▾
When was Betaxolol first available? ▾
Who makes Betaxolol? ▾
💬 Answers drafted from Betaxolol’s FDA-approved label information, summarized in plain language with AI, and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Grounded in that labeling — nothing is made up. How we use AI →
🧰 Keep exploring
💊 How Betaxolol comes
Betaxolol is available in 2 forms. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Tablet
How this form is used
- Betaxolol tablets are used to manage high blood pressure (hypertension)
- Betaxolol Hydrochloride tablets may be used alone or combined with other antihypertensive agents, particularly thiazide-type diuretics
- Betaxolol tablets are taken by mouth once daily; can be taken with or without food
- Betaxolol Hydrochloride tablets: the full blood pressure effect is usually seen within 7 to 14 days of starting
- Do not stop betaxolol tablets suddenly — taper gradually over about two weeks under your doctor's supervision
- Betaxolol tablets: older adults and people with severe kidney disease or on dialysis should discuss a lower starting dose with their prescriber
Eye drops
How this form is used
- Betoptic S is indicated to lower elevated intraocular pressure in chronic open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension
- Betaxolol Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution is indicated for ocular hypertension and chronic open-angle glaucoma
- Betaxolol Ophthalmic Solution is indicated for ocular hypertension and chronic open-angle glaucoma
- All ophthalmic formulations may be used alone or with other glaucoma medications
- Betoptic S: instill one drop in the affected eye(s) twice daily; shake the bottle well before each use
- Betaxolol Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution: instill one to two drops in the affected eye(s) twice daily
- Betaxolol Ophthalmic Solution: instill one to two drops in the affected eye(s) twice daily
- Betoptic S: if using other eye drops at the same time, wait at least 10 minutes before instilling Betoptic S; remove soft contact lenses before use and wait 15 minutes before reinserting
📊 Betaxolol across the U.S. market
How Betaxolol appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
FDA-listed product records by dose form (tablet variants merged) — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
Also listed with the FDA, not a patient dose form: Powder (3) — bulk drug substance sold to compounders/manufacturers and multi-item kits. These aren’t counted in the dose-form total above.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
📈 How widely Betaxolol is used
A general measure of how commonly Betaxolol is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Betaxolol is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Betaxolol prescribed? Of the 1,597 medications we measure, Betaxolol ranks #1,228 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 23% of them.
Utilization by Betaxolol product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
betaxolol 5 MG/ML Ophthalmic Solution Most dispensed
Summed across the 3 of 3 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 308720
betaxolol hydrochloride 10 MG Oral Tablet
Summed across the 1 of 6 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1297753
betaxolol 2.5 MG/ML Ophthalmic Suspension
Summed across the 2 of 2 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 308719
betaxolol hydrochloride 20 MG Oral Tablet
Summed across the 1 of 5 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1297757
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Betaxolol, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 7 of 16 listed Betaxolol NDCs with Medicaid activity.
🔍 Compare Betaxolol products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Betaxolol — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Eye drops | ||||
| 5 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Akorn | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 2.8 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Alcon Laboratories, Inc. × 2 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 2.8 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation × 3 listings | NDA | View NDC → |
| 5.6 mg/mL | Ophthalmic | Sandoz Inc × 2 listings | NDA AUTHORIZED GENERIC | View NDC → |
| 💊Tablet | ||||
| 10 mg | Oral | Epic Pharma LLC × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 20 mg | Oral | Epic Pharma LLC × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | Kvk-tech, Inc. × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 20 mg | Oral | Kvk-tech, Inc. × 2 listings | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 mg | Oral | PuraCap Laboratories LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 20 mg | Oral | PuraCap Laboratories LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 💊Bulk drug substance | ||||
| 1 kg/kg | — | Derivados Quimicos SAU | BULK INGREDIENT | View NDC → |
| 1 kg/kg | — | Indoco Remedies Limited | BULK INGREDIENT | View NDC → |
| 1 kg/kg | — | Olon SpA | BULK INGREDIENT | View NDC → |
Showing 21 of 21 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 21 Betaxolol NDCs →
📈 What people report — real-world data (FDA FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Betaxolol — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Betaxolol in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
🏛️ The road to your pharmacy
How Betaxolol went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
🚨 Recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
Source: openFDA drug enforcement (recall) reports.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 1520 3 dose forms · 4 strengths
-
Dose form (SCDF) Ophthalmic Solution RxCUI 377437In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 5 MG/MLRxCUI 308720 -
Dose form (SCDF) Ophthalmic Suspension RxCUI 379140In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 2.5 MG/MLRxCUI 308719 -
Dose form (SCDF) Oral Tablet RxCUI 371065In current FDA listings
Look up RxCUI 1520 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
📦 Supply & shortage status
Whether Betaxolol is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
🏷️ Sold under these brand names
🏭 Manufacturers & labelers
RxNorm drug class
Betaxolol belongs to the beta-Adrenergic Blocker class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
🔬 Where this comes from
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How we combine label and product data
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records; we don’t author the underlying clinical facts. We identified 3 FDA-filed SPL label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. The representative label is the starting point for the displayed reference monograph; the 12 largest stored in-scope SPL records, which may include that representative, are compared section by section, and the longest available version of each section is retained. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, product-listed strengths, and product-record counts are aggregated separately from ingredient-matched FDA NDC Directory records; package records listed above are associated with the linked SPL; and the normalized concept hierarchy comes from NLM RxNorm.
For canonical ingredient pages, bounded product-attributed indication and administration excerpts may be added to the AI evidence, and the generator is instructed to preserve available product, brand, route, and form qualifiers instead of treating one label as universal. Where a section is identified as AI-written, its plain-language text is generated from bounded label evidence. New draft drug pages remain in the admin review queue before first publication. PuraCap Laboratories LLC is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates; it is not the sole source used for the page.
This is general education, not medical advice — always consult your doctor or pharmacist about your medications and any medical condition. For the exact wording of the linked representative label, view that label on DailyMed; some displayed composite sections may come from other in-scope SPL labels. Learn how we use AI and our data sources & update cadence.