Show
These drugs are often used to treat high blood pressure when other medications haven't worked. By Mayo Clinic StaffBeta blockers, also known as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, are medications that reduce blood pressure. Beta blockers work by blocking the effects of the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline. Beta blockers cause the heart to beat more slowly and with less force, which lowers blood pressure. Beta blockers also help widen veins and arteries to improve blood flow. Examples of beta blockersSome beta blockers mainly affect the heart, while others affect both the heart and blood vessels. Your doctor will choose which beta blocker is best for you based on your health conditions. Examples of beta blockers taken by mouth include:
When beta blockers are usedBeta blockers aren't recommended as a first treatment in people who have only high blood pressure. Beta blockers aren't usually prescribed for high blood pressure unless other medications, such as diuretics, haven't worked well. Also, a doctor may prescribe a beta blocker as one of several medications to lower blood pressure. Beta blockers may not work as effectively for black people and older people, especially when taken without other blood pressure medications. Beta blockers are used to prevent, treat or improve symptoms in people who have:
Your doctor may prescribe beta blockers along with other medications. Side effectsCommon side effects of beta blockers can include:
Less common side effects include:
Beta blockers generally aren't used in people with asthma because of concerns that the medication may trigger severe asthma attacks. In people who have diabetes, beta blockers may block signs of low blood sugar, such as rapid heartbeat. It's important to check your blood sugar regularly if you have diabetes and you're taking a beta blocker. Beta blockers can also affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels. They can cause a slight rise in triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, and a modest decrease in good cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. These changes often are temporary. You shouldn't abruptly stop taking a beta blocker because doing so could increase your risk of a heart attack or other heart problem. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing
health. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set
forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Aug. 13, 2021
See more In-depth See also
. What medications cause shortness of breath?Medications that can precipitate respiratory impairment include ACE inhibitors, NSAIDs, anticonvulsants, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, cholinergics, antihypertensives, antibiotics, antifungals, antimicrobials, antiretrovirals, digoxin, interferon, and chemotherapy agents.
What is the best high blood pressure medication with the least side effects?While the class of blood pressure-lowering medicines called angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors may be prescribed more commonly, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) work just as well and may cause fewer side effects.
What are 4 side effects of any type of blood pressure medications?Some common side effects of high blood pressure medicines include:. Cough.. Diarrhea or constipation.. Dizziness or lightheadedness.. Erection problems.. Feeling nervous.. Feeling tired, weak, drowsy, or a lack of energy.. Headache.. Nausea or vomiting.. Can high blood pressure make you feel short of breath?Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in your pulmonary arteries, which carry oxygen-poor blood from your heart to your lungs. The earliest symptom is shortness of breath during your usual routine.
|