Beta-adrenergic blockers: Nursing pharmacology

Beta-adrenergic blockers, or just beta blockers, are a group of medications that are mainly used to treat cardiovascular conditions like hypertension, coronary artery disease and its manifestations like angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, as well as heart failure and arrhythmias. Beta blockers can also be used to treat essential tremor, glaucoma, and as prophylactic treatment of migraine attacks.

Now, beta blockers work by blocking beta receptors, of which there are three types, known as beta 1, which are mainly found in the heart and kidneys; beta 2, found in the lung bronchioles as well as the arteries of skeletal muscles; and beta 3, found in adipose tissue.

So beta blockers are classified into two main groups; nonselective and selective. Nonselective beta blockers can block both beta 1 and beta 2 receptors, and include nadolol, propranolol, pindolol, and sotalol.

On the other hand, selective beta blockers only block beta 1 receptors, and include atenolol, metoprolol, carvedilol, and nebivolol. So keep in mind that all beta blockers end in -lol, (which is pretty funny) and they can be administered orally, intravenously, or even via the ophthalmic route.

Once administered, beta blockers block beta receptors, thereby preventing the catecholamines norepinephrine and epinephrine from binding and activating them. As a result, beta blockers decrease the sympathetic nervous system response.