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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
Beta blockers, or beta-adrenergic blocking agents, are a class of medications that decrease the strain on the heart. They are used to prevent, treat, or improve symptoms in the following conditions:Abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) like atrial fibrillation and tachycardiaCongestive heart failureChest pain (angina)Heart attacks (myocardial infarctions)High blood pressure (hypertension)MigraineTremorsGlaucomaHyperthyroidismBeta blockers work by stopping the “fight or flight” hormones, like epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), from binding to beta receptors in your heart muscle, blood vessels, kidneys, and other places in the body. By blocking these receptors, these drugs can decrease how much your heart has to work to pump blood around the body. There are several different beta-blockers available, and they all work via slightly different mechanisms. However, the overall effect is the same: they cause your heart to beat slower and squeeze less forcefully, thereby lowering blood pressure. Some beta blockers also help relax (or dilate) your blood vessels to improve blood flow. The overall effect is that your heart does not have to work as hard (this is good in cases like a heart attack, during which it is best to decrease the amount of oxygen the heart needs).Even though beta blockers decrease your blood pressure, they are generally not the first medication that your healthcare provider will turn to for high blood pressure treatment (Schumann, 2008). However, beta blockers are often used in combination with other medicines, like diuretics, calcium-channel blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, especially if your high blood pressure is not improved with one drug alone. In addition, beta blockers are less effective when used as a single agent for treating high blood pressure in black individuals and those older than 60 years old (Schumann, 2008).Common beta blockers include: Acebutolol (brand name Sectral)Atenolol (brand name Tenormin)Bisoprolol (brand name Zebeta)Carvedilol (brand name Coreg)Metoprolol (brand names Lopressor, Toprol XL)Nadolol (brand name Corgard)Nebivolol (brand name Bystolic)Propranolol (brand names Inderal, InnoPran XL)Timolol (brand name Timoptic)Propranolol is one of the few beta blockers that is FDA approved to treat non-cardiac conditions. It is the only beta blocker approved to treat essential tremor, which is a chronic nervous system disorder that causes shaking. Propranolol is also FDA approved to treat migraine headaches. However, there are “off-label” uses of propranolol as well. “Off-label” means that the drug is being used for conditions other than the ones for which it was officially FDA approved. These “off-label” uses include the treatment of performance
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