Timolol
Pronunciation: TYE-moe-lol.
- Generic name
- timolol maleate
- Drug class
- Non-selective beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agent (beta-blocker)
- Form
- Tablet, 5 mg / 10 mg / 20 mg
- Route
- Oral
- Legal status
- Prescription-only
Availability and supply rules vary by country
Trade names by country: United States · United Kingdom · Canada
Australia: · Full directory
What timolol maleate is and how it works
Timolol is a prescription-only oral beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure, prevent angina (chest pain from the heart), reduce the risk of a further heart attack after a myocardial infarction, and help prevent migraine attacks. (1) (5)
Take timolol exactly as your prescriber directs. Your dose is individually worked out and adjusted over time based on your response -- it is not a fixed dose for everyone. Never stop taking timolol on your own, even if you feel well: stopping a beta-blocker suddenly can be dangerous and must always be managed by your prescriber.
Mechanism of action: how timolol maleate works
Timolol is a non-selective beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptor blocker without significant intrinsic sympathomimetic, membrane-stabilising, or local anaesthetic activity. It reduces heart rate, cardiac output, and renin release, lowering blood pressure and cardiac workload. (1) (5)
What timolol maleate is used for
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Used alone or with other blood-pressure medicines, often a thiazide diuretic, to lower high blood pressure. (1) (5)
Angina pectoris
Used to prevent chest pain (angina) caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. (2)
After a heart attack
Used in people who have survived the acute phase of a heart attack (myocardial infarction) and are clinically stable, to help reduce the risk of dying from a heart problem or having another heart attack. (1) (5)
Migraine prevention
Used to reduce how often migraine attacks happen. It does not treat a migraine attack that has already started. (1) (5)
Before taking timolol maleate
Do not take / not appropriate for
- Do not take timolol if you have asthma, a history of asthma, or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) -- beta-blockers can trigger dangerous airway narrowing. (all countries) (1) (2) (5)
- Do not take timolol if you have a very slow heart rate, certain heart block conditions, uncontrolled heart failure, or cardiogenic shock. (all countries) (1) (5)
- Do not take timolol if you are pregnant. (United Kingdom, Canada) (2) (5)
- Do not take timolol if you are allergic to it or any of its ingredients. (all countries) (1)
Tell your clinician about
- Any history of asthma, wheezing, or other breathing problems.
- Diabetes, especially if you use insulin or diabetes tablets that can cause low blood sugar.
- Thyroid problems -- timolol can hide some of the usual warning signs.
- Any heart rhythm problems, heart failure, or circulation problems in your hands and feet (e.g. Raynaud's).
- Liver or kidney problems.
- Any history of severe allergic reactions.
- Pregnancy, plans for pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
- All other medicines you take, especially other blood-pressure or heart medicines.
How to take timolol maleate
- Swallow the tablet as directed by your prescriber, at the same times each day.
- Your prescriber will usually start you on a low dose and increase it gradually while checking your heart rate and blood pressure.
- Do not stop taking timolol or change your dose without talking to your prescriber first, even if you feel well -- see Serious Warnings below.
- If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember; if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed one and continue your normal schedule -- do not double up.
Procedures and treatment changes
Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7)
Missed dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is nearly time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular schedule -- do not take a double dose to catch up.
Overdose
Seek emergency medical attention if you or someone else may have taken too much timolol, or if you notice a very slow heartbeat, severe dizziness, fainting, breathing difficulty, or seizures. Overdose can cause serious slowing of the heart, low blood pressure, heart block, and breathing problems. (1) (5)
Side effects
Side effects and their urgency vary; report severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms.
Slow heart rate (bradycardia).
What to notice: Slow heart rate (bradycardia).
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)
Tiredness or fatigue.
What to notice: Tiredness or fatigue.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1) (2)
Dizziness.
What to notice: Dizziness.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1) (2)
Shortness of breath.
What to notice: Shortness of breath.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1) (5)
Cold hands and feet.
What to notice: Cold hands and feet.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1) (5)
Nausea or indigestion.
What to notice: Nausea or indigestion.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)
Reduced interest in sex.
What to notice: Reduced interest in sex.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1) (2)
Vision changes such as blurred vision, that can affect driving or operating machinery.
What to notice: Vision changes such as blurred vision, that can affect driving or operating machinery.
What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (2) (5)
Serious warnings
Do not stop timolol suddenly without your prescriber's guidance — boxed_warning
Symptoms: Worsening chest pain, a fast or irregular heartbeat, or new/worsening symptoms after missing doses or stopping treatment.
Action: Health Canada's official product monograph carries this as a literal boxed 'Serious Warnings and Precautions' notice: in patients with ischaemic heart disease, abruptly stopping a beta-blocker like timolol has been linked to a heart attack, dangerous heart rhythms, or sudden death, with or without a preceding worsening of angina. Never stop or reduce timolol on your own -- always ask your prescriber, who will taper the dose down gradually if it needs to be stopped. (5) (1) (2)
Signs of breathing difficulty or an asthma-like attack — emergency
Symptoms: Wheezing, chest tightness, or severe shortness of breath.
Action: Seek emergency medical help immediately -- beta-blockers can trigger serious airway narrowing, and deaths from bronchospasm in asthmatic patients have been reported with this class of medicine. (2) (1)
Signs of a very slow heart rate or fainting — emergency
Symptoms: Feeling faint, very slow or irregular pulse, chest pain, or collapse.
Action: Seek urgent medical attention. Tell your prescriber promptly about any dizziness, fainting spells, or a pulse that feels unusually slow. (1) (2)
Masked warning signs of low blood sugar (in people with diabetes) — high caution
Symptoms: Timolol can hide the usual early warning signs of low blood sugar, such as a fast heartbeat and shakiness -- sweating may still occur.
Action: If you have diabetes and take insulin or other glucose-lowering medicines, monitor your blood sugar closely as directed and discuss this risk with your prescriber. (1) (5)
Masked signs of an overactive thyroid (thyrotoxicosis) — high caution
Symptoms: Timolol can hide a fast heartbeat that would normally signal worsening thyroid disease.
Action: Tell your prescriber if you have or have had thyroid problems -- do not stop timolol abruptly if thyrotoxicosis is suspected, as this could trigger a thyroid storm; any dose changes must be clinician-directed. (5)
Signs of a severe allergic reaction — emergency
Symptoms: Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty breathing; widespread rash or hives. Note that if this happens, standard emergency adrenaline (epinephrine) treatment may be less effective while you are taking a beta-blocker.
Action: Seek emergency medical help immediately and tell paramedics/clinicians you take timolol. (5)
Interactions
- Other heart-rate-slowing medicines (such as verapamil or diltiazem) can add to timolol's effect on the heart and increase the risk of a very slow heartbeat or heart block. (2) (5)
- Clonidine: if you take both and need to stop, your prescriber must coordinate how the medicines are withdrawn, since stopping in the wrong order can cause a dangerous rebound rise in blood pressure. (1) (2)
- NSAID pain relievers can reduce how well timolol controls blood pressure. (1)
- Certain antidepressants and quinidine can increase timolol's effect by slowing its breakdown in the body. (1) (2)
- Sulfonylurea diabetes medicines: combined use may increase the risk of severe low blood sugar. (2)
- Tell your anaesthetist you take timolol before any surgery, since it can affect the body's response to anaesthesia. (2) (5)
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age
Pregnancy
Timolol tablets are contraindicated in pregnancy in some markets' labelling (UK, Canada), reflecting risk of slowed fetal growth and effects on the newborn's heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing; the US label advises use only if the benefit clearly justifies the risk. Discuss safer alternatives with your prescriber if you are or may become pregnant. (1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7)
Breastfeeding
Timolol passes into breast milk. Some official sources advise against breastfeeding while taking it, or that breastfeeding be stopped if the medicine is essential -- discuss this with your prescriber. (1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7)
Children
Not established as safe and effective for use in children in the sources reviewed for this dossier. (1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7)
Elderly
Older adults are usually started on the lowest effective dose, with slower, more cautious dose increases and closer monitoring. (1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7)
Hepatic_impairment
Timolol is partly broken down by the liver; dose reductions may be needed with liver impairment, and your prescriber may check liver-related blood tests periodically. (1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7)
Renal_impairment
Caution is needed with kidney impairment; timolol is not readily removed by dialysis. (1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7)
Source_ids
US-DAILYMED-TIMOLOL-TABLETS-2026,UK-EMC-TIMOLOL-TABLETS-2026,CA-HC-TIMOLOL-AAPHARMA-2025 (1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7)
Monitoring
Before starting
- Baseline heart rate and blood pressure
- Review for asthma/COPD, heart block, or heart failure
- Review of other medicines, especially other heart-rate-slowing drugs
During treatment
- Regular heart rate and blood pressure checks, especially while your dose is being adjusted.
- Periodic liver function checks if you have liver impairment.
- Watching for breathing difficulty, unusual tiredness, dizziness, or slow pulse.
Storage
Store at room temperature, around 15-30°C (59-86°F), away from direct light. Keep out of reach of children. Dispose of unused tablets via a pharmacy take-back program rather than household trash.
Study the drug class: Beta blockers
Professional information
Clinician-facing context only, sourced from the current US FDA prescribing information, UK emc SmPC, and Health Canada product monograph; verify against the current full label before prescribing.
Canada
Indication: Hypertension, angina, post-MI secondary prevention, migraine prophylaxis
Dose summary: Hypertension: initial 5-10 mg twice daily if on other antihypertensives, or 10 mg twice daily alone, increased in 5 mg increments every 1-2 weeks to a maximum of 60 mg/day. Angina: 15-45 mg/day in divided doses, starting at 5 mg two-to-three times daily, titrated over at least 3-day intervals, maximum 45 mg/day. Post-MI: 5 mg twice daily initially, increased after 2 days to a 10 mg twice-daily maintenance dose, started 7-28 days post-acute-phase. Migraine prophylaxis: 10 mg twice daily (range 10-30 mg/day); discontinue (under clinician direction) if no response after 6-8 weeks at maximum suggested dose.
Renal context: Not established as needing routine adjustment in the source reviewed, but timolol is not efficiently removed by haemodialysis; use with caution in renal impairment. (5)
United Kingdom
Indication: Angina, hypertension, post-MI secondary prevention, migraine prophylaxis
Dose summary: Angina 5-30 mg twice daily; hypertension 10-60 mg/day (most controlled at 10-30 mg); post-MI 5 mg twice daily for two days then 10 mg twice daily; migraine 10-20 mg once or twice daily. Lowest dose first, gradual (e.g. weekly) increases under monitoring.
Renal context: Not specified in the source reviewed for this dossier. (2)
Hepatic guidance
Partially hepatically metabolised; dose reduction and monitoring may be needed with hepatic impairment.
Overdose note
Overdose can cause bradycardia, hypotension, bronchospasm, AV block, cardiogenic shock, cardiac arrest, and hyperkalaemia. Not efficiently removed by haemodialysis. Management is supportive: gastric lavage, IV atropine for bradycardia, isoproterenol or pacing for heart block, standard heart-failure therapy (± IV aminophylline or glucagon) for cardiac failure, and sympathomimetic pressors for hypotension. (1) (5)
Frequently asked questions
Is oral timolol the same as timolol eye drops?
No. This page is about oral timolol tablets, used for blood pressure, angina, post-heart-attack care, and migraine prevention. Timolol eye drops are a different product used to lower eye pressure in glaucoma, with their own separate information. (1)
Can I just stop taking timolol if I feel fine?
No -- never stop timolol on your own. Suddenly stopping a beta-blocker like timolol has been linked to worsening chest pain, dangerous heart rhythms, heart attack, or sudden death, especially in people with heart disease. If treatment needs to stop, your prescriber will taper the dose down gradually. (5) (1)
Is oral timolol available in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand?
It is confirmed authorised as an oral tablet in the United States, United Kingdom, European Union (nationally authorised in France and Italy, among others), and Canada. We could not confirm current oral-tablet authorisation in Australia or New Zealand -- only ophthalmic (eye drop) timolol products were found registered in those two countries. (1) (2) (3) (5) (6) (7)
What is the mechanism of action of timolol maleate?
Timolol is a non-selective beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptor blocker without significant intrinsic sympathomimetic, membrane-stabilising, or local anaesthetic activity. It reduces heart rate, cardiac output, and renin release, lowering blood pressure and cardiac workload. (1) (5)
What is the generic name of Timolol?
The generic name is timolol maleate. (1)
What class of drug is timolol maleate?
Timolol is classed as: Non-selective beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agent (beta-blocker). (1)
References
- TIMOLOL MALEATE tablet -- full prescribing informationU.S. Food and Drug Administration / DailyMed (NIH), full prescribing information · United States · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 1
- Timolol Maleate 10mg Tablets -- Summary of Product Characteristicselectronic medicines compendium (emc), United Kingdom -- Generics [UK] Limited (trading as Viatris) · United Kingdom · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 2
- List of nationally authorised medicinal products -- Active substance: timolol (systemic use), Procedure no. PSUSA/00010432/202410European Medicines Agency (EMA), Human Medicines Evaluation Division · European Union · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 3
- Blocadren (timololo maleato) 10 mg compresse -- product informationItalian pharmaceutical reference databases (Torrinomedica, Codifa), citing AIFA-approved product information for Blocadren · European Union (Italy) · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 4
- TIMOLOL (Timolol Maleate Tablets, 5 mg/10 mg/20 mg, oral) -- Product Monograph including Patient Medication InformationHealth Canada product monograph, AA Pharma Inc. · Canada · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 5
- Search of the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods and TGA eBS PICMI repository for timolol productsTherapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia -- ARTG and PICMI product search · Australia · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 6
- Medsafe data sheet index search for timololMedsafe (New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority) -- data sheet index · New Zealand · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 7
Brand names by country
Single-ingredient timolol maleate names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.
Priority countries
United States
- timolol maleate ophthalmic gel forming solution5 mg/mL, 2.5 mg/mL · northstar rxllc
- Timoptic in Ocudose5 mg/mL, 3.4 mg/mL, 6.8 mg/mL · nordic pharma, inc.
- Timolol GFS2.5 mg/mL, 5 mg/mL · sandoz inc
- Timoptic5 mg/mL, 2.5 mg/mL · bausch & lomb incorporated
- Timoptic-XE5 mg/mL, 2.5 mg/mL · bausch & lomb incorporated
- BETIMOL5.12 mg/mL, 2.56 mg/mL · thea pharma inc.
- Istalol5 mg/mL · bausch & lomb incorporated
United Kingdom
- Timolol Maleate 10mg Tablets (2)MHRA licensed emc smpc confirmed PL 04569 1773 · 10 mg · Generics [UK] Limited t/a Viatris
Canada
- TIMOPTIC-XE
- TIMOLOL MALEATE-EX
- TIMOPTIC
- APO-TIMOL
- APO-TIMOP
- APO-TIMOP OPH SOLN