Beta blockers- what are they?-by Dr Harold Gunatillake

Harold-Gunethilake

Transcript:

Beta blockers are used to treat high blood pressure. In my recent previous videos, I have discussed other specific drug groups that lower your blood pressure- such as ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and Calcium-channel blockers.

Today we discuss how betablockers lower your blood pressure, and other uses.

Beta blockers are also known as beta-adrenergic blocking agents, are medications used to slow down your heart rate, with less force to lower your blood pressure.

It is important to measure the heart rate when checking your blood pressure with a monitor. If the heart rate is rapid, your doctor will put you on a beta-blocker to slow down your heart rate, inaddition to other antihypertensive medication.

In addition, beta-blockers help widen veins and arteries to improve blood flow.

How do betablockers reduce your blood pressure?

Betablockers work by blocking the effects of the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline. This slows the nerve impulses in your heart which causes your heart to beat slower.

Epinephrine is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. Strong emotions such as fear, anger sudden shocks cause epinephrine to be released into the blood stream, which causes the heart rate to increase, blood pressure increases, increases muscle strength, and increases sugar metabolism.

This is the reason that you should stay quiet and rest for five minutes before you check your blood pressure at rest.

Betablockers lower the blood pressure by about 10 points systolic and 8 points of diastolic pressure in people with mild to moderate high blood pressure.

Betablockers and diabetes

In insulin dependent diabetes, i.e. those on insulin medication for diabetes, betablockers can alter the symptoms of hypoglycemia. What this means is that when you have a bout of hypoglycemia due to lowering of your blood sugar, the symptoms of hypoglycemia may not be revealed, and it will be a little more difficult to read the signs.

One of the symptoms of low blood sugar is rapid heart rate. Since betablockers slow your heartbeat, your heart’s response to low blood sugar is low.

Since betablockers slow your heartbeat, your heart response to low blood sugar may not be as obvious. You may not be able to rely on symptoms to tell you that your blood sugar is low. That can be dangerous.

Betablockers are also used to treat a variety of conditions other than for high blood pressure. It is used for conditions like glaucoma, migraine, and anxiety disorders.

They are also used to treat heart failure.

What are the side effects of taking betablockers?

Betablockers can have side effects which include -fatigue, cold hands and feet, during the cold season you may get chilblains, headache, and dizziness, upset stomach, constipation, or diarrhea.

If you take betablockers you need to decrease your intake of sodium, i.e. salt and calcium, because betablockers have an effect on nutrient absorption.

Orange juices seem to interfere with the effectiveness of this medication.

Some people may experience shortness of breath, difficulty to sleep and loss of sex drive.

Betablockers can raise your triglycerides and cholesterol levels in your blood.

Beta-blockers are available under a variety of names. Examples include:

acebutolol (Sectral)

atenolol (Tenormin)

betaxolol (Kerlone)

bisoprolol (Zebeta)

metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL)

nadolol (Corgard)

penbutolol sulfate (Levatol)

pindolol (Visken)

Those patients who take beta-blockers to lower their blood pressure levels could face a 50 per cent increased risk of developing diabetes, according to new research.

A new study has made the shocking revelation that using older drugs that are no longer recommended for treating high blood pressure could increase the risk of developing diabetes by 50 per cent, when compared to newer drugs.

Beta-blockers and diuretics have been standard medication for over 30 years, yet they could massively increase risk as well as not being as effective as newer medication. Blood pressure patients already face an increased risk of diabetes. This information from Diabetes.co.uk

Use of beta-blockers, diuretics and statins is being used to reduce cardiovascular mobility and mortality in a variety of chronic diseases.

Despite the overwhelming benefits of these drugs on cardiovascular outcomes, recent evidence suggests that long term use may increase the risk of diabetes.

So, betablockers and diuretics may increase the risk of new onset diabetes. Of course, these are shocking research findings.

If you are still on a betablocker and diuretics and finds that recently you have developed type 2 diabetes, you need to discuss with your doctor on this issue.

Hope this video article was useful.

If you find any issues after viewing this video, please consult your own doctor.

Stay safe and goodbye for now.

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