Side effects
Hypertension treated with a β-blocker such as atenolol, alone or in conjunction with a thiazide diuretic, is associated with a higher incidence of new onset type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to those treated with an ACE inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker. β-blockers, of which atenolol is mainly studied, provides weaker protection against stroke and mortality in patients over 60 years old compared to other antihypertensive medications. Diuretics may be associated with better cardiovascular and cerebrovascular outcomes than β-blockers in the elderly. Overdose
Symptoms of overdose are due to excessive pharmacodynamic actions on β1 and also β2-receptors. These include bradycardia (slow heartbeat), severe hypotension with shock, acute heart failure, hypoglycemia and bronchospastic reactions. Treatment is largely symptomatic. Hospitalization and intensive monitoring is indicated. Activated charcoal is useful to absorb the drug. Atropine will counteract bradycardia, glucagon helps with hypoglycemia, dobutamine can be given against hypotension and the inhalation of a β2-mimetic as hexoprenalin or salbutamol will terminate bronchospasms. Blood or plasma atenolol concentrations may be measured to confirm a diagnosis of poisoning in hospitalized patients or to assist in a medicolegal death investigation. Plasma levels are usually less than 3 mg/L during therapeutic administration, but can range from 3–30 mg/L in overdose victims. Society and culture
Atenolol has been given as an example of how slow healthcare providers are to change their prescribing practices in the face of medical evidence that indicates that a drug is not as effective as others in treating some conditions. In 2012, 33.8 million prescriptions were written to American patients for this drug.
The number of atomic or molecular collisions with a wall of a container per unit area per unit time (impingement rate) is given by:

assuming mean free path is much greater than pinhole diameter and the gas can be treated as an ideal gas.If a small area 
  
    
      
        A
      
    
    {\displaystyle A}
   on the container is punched to become a small hole, the effusive flow rate will be

where 
  
    
      
        M
      
    
    {\displaystyle M}
   is the molar mass, 
  
    
      
        
          N
          
            A
          
        
      
    
    {\displaystyle N_{A}}
   is the Avogadro constant, and 
  
    
      
        R
        =
        
          N
          
            A
          
        
        
          k
          
            B
          
        
      
    
    {\displaystyle R=N_{A}k_{B}}
   is the gas constant.