Nadolol was not discontinued for safety reasons. The brand-name version, Corgard, was discontinued for commercial reasons, meaning the manufacturer decided it was no longer profitable enough to keep producing. The FDA has explicitly confirmed that nadolol was not withdrawn from sale due to safety or effectiveness concerns. Generic nadolol remains available in the United States from over a dozen manufacturers.
Why Brand-Name Corgard Was Discontinued
The original brand-name product, Corgard, was manufactured by Monarch Pharmaceuticals (later part of the Bristol-Myers Squibb family of products). The manufacturer confirmed in 2016 that Corgard was being discontinued for commercial reasons. This is a common pattern with older medications: once generics enter the market, the brand-name version loses market share until it’s no longer worth producing.
Interestingly, the decision wasn’t permanent at first. By June 2018, the manufacturer appeared to reverse course and the 80mg tablets returned to the supply chain. As of 2023, however, the Corgard brand is no longer available in the UK, though generic nadolol remains in supply there.
A similar situation played out in New Zealand. The generic manufacturer Apotex decided to consolidate its international presence and leave the New Zealand market entirely, which meant its Apo-Nadolol brand lost funding after March 2022. Again, this was a business decision, not a safety one.
Nadolol Is Still Available as a Generic
If you’ve been told nadolol is “discontinued,” the reality is more nuanced. The brand name may be gone, but the drug itself is actively manufactured. According to the National Library of Medicine’s DailyMed database, more than a dozen companies currently package nadolol tablets in the United States, including Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Lupin Pharmaceuticals, Cipla USA, Aurobindo Pharma, and Zydus Lifesciences, among others.
That said, supply disruptions can still happen. When a major generic manufacturer exits a market or experiences production issues, pharmacies in certain regions may temporarily struggle to stock the drug. If your pharmacy tells you nadolol is unavailable, it’s worth asking whether they can order it from a different generic supplier or checking with other pharmacies in your area.
What Makes Nadolol Different From Other Beta-Blockers
Nadolol belongs to a class of drugs called nonselective beta-blockers (NSBBs), which block the effects of adrenaline on the heart and blood vessels. It’s used for high blood pressure, certain heart rhythm problems, and preventing bleeding from enlarged veins in the esophagus (a complication of liver disease).
Its main clinical advantage is a long half-life, significantly longer than propranolol, the most commonly used alternative in the same class. This means nadolol can be taken once daily, while propranolol typically requires two or three doses per day. For patients managing a chronic condition, that difference in convenience matters. It also means more stable drug levels throughout the day, which can translate to more consistent blood pressure control.
Alternatives If You Can’t Get Nadolol
If you’re taking nadolol for high blood pressure or heart-related conditions, propranolol is the most direct substitute in the same drug class. Your doctor may also consider other beta-blockers depending on your specific situation.
For patients using nadolol to prevent variceal bleeding (a serious complication of liver cirrhosis), the alternatives are well established. Carvedilol, another nonselective beta-blocker, is actually more effective at reducing pressure in the portal vein than either nadolol or propranolol. Current guidelines from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases recommend nonselective beta-blocker therapy as the first choice for preventing a first episode of variceal bleeding. For patients who can’t tolerate any beta-blocker, endoscopic variceal ligation, a procedure that bands the enlarged veins directly, is a valid alternative.
Of the four nonselective beta-blockers that exist, only three are available in oral form: propranolol, nadolol, and carvedilol. So if nadolol becomes hard to find in your area, you still have two closely related options that your doctor can switch you to, typically with a straightforward dose adjustment.