Beta-blockers (also known as beta-adrenoceptor blocking agents) are commonly used to treat:
- hypertension (high blood pressure)
- angina (chest pain caused by restricted blood flow to the heart)
- heart failure (where the heart does not pump blood around the body effectively)
- atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat)
- heart attack
See Uses of beta-blockers for more information.
Less commonly, beta-blockers are used to:
- prevent migraine
- treat overactive thyroid
- treat anxiety conditions
- treat tremor
- treat glaucoma
There are several types of beta-blocker and each has its own characteristics. The type prescribed for you will depend on your condition. They are all equally effective.
How they work
Beta-blockers work by blocking the release of noradrenaline in certain parts of the body.
Noradrenaline is a chemical released by nerves when they are stimulated. The noradrenaline passes messages to other parts of the body, such as the muscles, blood vessels and heart.
This means that beta-blockers can, for example, decrease the activity of your heart (see Uses of beta-blockers for more information).
Names
Examples of beta-blockers are:
- acebutolol (Sectral)
- atenolol (Tenormin)
- bisoprolol (Cardicor, Emcor)
- carvedilol (Eucardic)
- celiprolol (Celectol)
- labetalol (Trandate)
- metoprolol (Betaloc, Lopresor)
- nadolol (Corgard)
- nebivolol (Nebilet)
- pindolol (Visken)
- propranolol (Inderal)
- sotalol (Beta-Cardone, Sotacor)
- timolol (Betim)
