Beta blockers

These drugs are usually employed to deal with substantial blood stress when other medications haven’t labored.

By Mayo Clinic Employees

Beta blockers, also known as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, are medications that cut down blood stress. Beta blockers get the job done by blocking the results of the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline.

Beta blockers induce the coronary heart to defeat extra slowly and with considerably less force, which lowers blood stress. Beta blockers also help widen veins and arteries to enhance blood flow.

Illustrations of beta blockers

Some beta blockers largely have an effect on the coronary heart, while some others have an effect on the two the coronary heart and blood vessels. Your physician will select which beta blocker is most effective for you based mostly on your wellbeing disorders.

Illustrations of beta blockers taken by mouth include things like:

  • Acebutolol
  • Atenolol (Tenormin)
  • Bisoprolol (Zebeta)
  • Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol XL)
  • Nadolol (Corgard)
  • Nebivolol (Bystolic)
  • Propranolol (Inderal, InnoPran XL)

When beta blockers are employed

Beta blockers aren’t advised as a initial treatment in people today who have only substantial blood stress. Beta blockers aren’t typically prescribed for substantial blood stress unless of course other medications, this kind of as diuretics, haven’t labored very well. Also, a physician might prescribe a beta blocker as just one of several medications to decreased blood stress.

Beta blockers might not get the job done as successfully for black people today and more mature people today, especially when taken devoid of other blood stress medications.

Beta blockers are employed to avoid, deal with or enhance signs and symptoms in people today who have:

  • Irregular coronary heart rhythm (arrhythmia)
  • Heart failure
  • Chest ache (angina)
  • Heart assaults
  • Migraine
  • Certain styles of tremors

Your physician might prescribe beta blockers alongside with other medications.

Side results

Common side results of beta blockers can include things like:

  • Chilly arms or feet
  • Exhaustion
  • Bodyweight achieve

Less frequent side results include things like:

  • Despair
  • Shortness of breath
  • Difficulty sleeping

Beta blockers normally aren’t employed in people today with bronchial asthma due to the fact of problems that the medicine might cause significant bronchial asthma assaults.

In people today who have diabetic issues, beta blockers might block indicators of small blood sugar, this kind of as quick heartbeat. It truly is vital to check your blood sugar frequently if you have diabetic issues and you’re getting a beta blocker.

Beta blockers can also have an effect on cholesterol and triglyceride amounts. They can induce a slight rise in triglycerides, a type of extra fat in the blood, and a modest minimize in superior cholesterol, or substantial-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. These variations usually are temporary.

You should not abruptly stop getting a beta blocker due to the fact executing so could increase your threat of a coronary heart assault or other coronary heart problem.