Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Beta blocker
(section)
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
{{Short description|Medication class with multiple uses}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox drug class | Name = Beta blockers | Synonyms = beta-blockers, β-blockers, beta-adrenergic blocking agents, beta antagonists, beta-adrenergic antagonists, beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists, beta adrenergic receptor antagonists, BB | Image = Propranolol.svg | ImageClass = skin-invert-image | Alt = Propranolol | Use = [[Hypertension]], [[Heart arrhythmia|arrhythmia]], etc. | Caption = [[Skeletal formula]] of [[propranolol]], the first clinically successful beta blocker. | Biological_target = [[Beta receptor#β receptors|beta receptors]] | ATC_prefix = C07 | MeshID = D000319 | Drugs.com = {{Drugs.com|drug-class|cardioselective-beta-blockers}} | Consumer_Reports = beta_blockers | medicinenet = beta_blockers | rxlist = 90349 }} '''Beta blockers''', also spelled '''β-blockers''', are a class of medications that are predominantly used to manage abnormal heart rhythms ([[arrhythmia]]), and to protect the heart from a second [[heart attack]] after a first heart attack ([[secondary prevention]]).<ref name="pmid10381708">{{cite journal | vauthors = Freemantle N, Cleland J, Young P, Mason J, Harrison J | title = beta Blockade after myocardial infarction: systematic review and meta regression analysis | journal = BMJ | volume = 318 | issue = 7200 | pages = 1730–1737 | date = June 1999 | pmid = 10381708 | pmc = 31101 | doi = 10.1136/bmj.318.7200.1730 }}</ref> They are also widely used to treat [[high blood pressure]], although they are no longer the first choice for initial treatment of most people.<ref name="pmid24352797">{{cite journal | vauthors = James PA, Oparil S, Carter BL, Cushman WC, Dennison-Himmelfarb C, Handler J, Lackland DT, LeFevre ML, MacKenzie TD, Ogedegbe O, Smith SC, Svetkey LP, Taler SJ, Townsend RR, Wright JT, Narva AS, Ortiz E | display-authors = 6 | title = 2014 evidence-based guideline for the management of high blood pressure in adults: report from the panel members appointed to the Eighth Joint National Committee (JNC 8) | journal = JAMA | volume = 311 | issue = 5 | pages = 507–520 | date = February 2014 | pmid = 24352797 | doi = 10.1001/jama.2013.284427 | doi-access = free }}</ref> Beta blockers are [[competitive antagonist]]s that block the receptor sites for the [[endogenous]] [[catecholamine]]s [[epinephrine]] (adrenaline) and [[norepinephrine]] (noradrenaline) on [[adrenergic beta receptors]], of the [[sympathetic nervous system]], which mediates the [[fight-or-flight response]].<ref name="Frishman_2005">{{Cite book | chapter = Beta-Adrenergic Blockers | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=y3R1Vd3NHqcC&q=mode+of+action+of+beta+blockers&pg=PA152 | title = Current Cardiovascular Drugs | veditors = Frishman WH, Cheng-Lai A, Nawarskas J | year = 2005 | publisher = Current Science Group | access-date = 2010-09-07 | isbn = 978-1-57340-221-7 }}</ref>{{rp|152}}<ref name="Barranger_2006">{{Cite book | vauthors = Barranger K, Vivian E, Peterson AM | chapter = Hypertension | chapter-url = https://books.google.com/books?id=EaP1yJz4fkEC&pg=PA205 | title = Pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice: a practical approach | veditors = Arcangelo VP, Peterson AM | year = 2006 | publisher = Lippincott Williams & Wilkins | page = 205 | access-date = 2010-09-07 | isbn = 978-0-7817-5784-3 }}</ref> [[Beta-adrenergic receptors]] are found on cells of the [[heart]] muscles, [[Smooth muscle tissue|smooth muscles]], [[airway]]s, [[Artery|arteries]], [[kidney]]s, and other tissues that are part of the sympathetic nervous system and lead to stress responses, especially when they are stimulated by [[epinephrine]] (adrenaline). Beta blockers interfere with the binding to the receptor of epinephrine and other stress hormones and thereby weaken the effects of stress hormones. Some beta blockers block activation of all types of β-adrenergic receptors and others are selective for one of the three known types of beta receptors, designated β<sub>1</sub>, β<sub>2</sub> and β<sub>3</sub> receptors.<ref name="Frishman_2005" />{{rp|153}} [[Beta-1 adrenergic receptor|β<sub>1</sub>-adrenergic receptors]] are located mainly in the heart and in the kidneys.<ref name="Barranger_2006" /> [[Beta-2 adrenergic receptor|β<sub>2</sub>-adrenergic receptors]] are located mainly in the lungs, gastrointestinal tract, liver, uterus, vascular smooth muscle, and skeletal muscle.<ref name="Barranger_2006" /> [[Beta-3 adrenergic receptor|β<sub>3</sub>-adrenergic receptors]] are located in fat cells.<ref name="pmid7609752">{{cite journal |display-authors=6 |vauthors=Clément K, Vaisse C, Manning BS, Basdevant A, Guy-Grand B, Ruiz J, Silver KD, Shuldiner AR, Froguel P, Strosberg AD |date=August 1995 |title=Genetic variation in the beta 3-adrenergic receptor and an increased capacity to gain weight in patients with morbid obesity |journal=The New England Journal of Medicine |volume=333 |issue=6 |pages=352–354 |doi=10.1056/NEJM199508103330605 |pmid=7609752 |doi-access=free}}</ref> In 1964, [[James Black (pharmacologist)|James Black]]<ref name="telegraph">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/medicine-obituaries/7507080/Sir-James-Black-OM.html|title=Sir James Black, OM|date=23 March 2010|newspaper=The Telegraph|access-date=25 March 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327031442/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/medicine-obituaries/7507080/Sir-James-Black-OM.html|archive-date=March 27, 2010|df=mdy-all}}</ref> synthesized the first clinically significant beta blockers—[[propranolol]] and [[pronethalol]]; it revolutionized the medical management of [[angina pectoris]]<ref name="pmid10378820">{{cite journal | vauthors = van der Vring JA, Daniëls MC, Holwerda NJ, Withagen PJ, Schelling A, Cleophas TJ, Hendriks MG | title = Combination of calcium channel blockers and beta blockers for patients with exercise-induced angina pectoris: a double-blind parallel-group comparison of different classes of calcium channel blockers. The Netherlands Working Group on Cardiovascular Research (WCN) | journal = Angiology | volume = 50 | issue = 6 | pages = 447–454 | date = June 1999 | pmid = 10378820 | doi = 10.1177/000331979905000602 | s2cid = 21885509 }}</ref> and is considered by many to be one of the most important contributions to clinical medicine and [[pharmacology]] of the 20th century.<ref name="pmid9456487">{{cite journal | vauthors = Stapleton MP | title = Sir James Black and propranolol. The role of the basic sciences in the history of cardiovascular pharmacology | journal = Texas Heart Institute Journal | volume = 24 | issue = 4 | pages = 336–342 | year = 1997 | pmid = 9456487 | pmc = 325477 }}</ref> For the treatment of primary hypertension (high blood pressure), [[meta-analyses]] of studies which mostly used [[atenolol]] have shown that although beta blockers are more effective than [[placebo]] in preventing [[stroke]] and total cardiovascular events, they are not as effective as [[diuretics]], medications inhibiting the [[renin–angiotensin system]] (e.g., [[ACE inhibitor]]s), or [[calcium channel blockers]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wiysonge CS, Bradley HA, Volmink J, Mayosi BM, Opie LH | title = Beta-blockers for hypertension | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | pages = CD002003 | date = January 2017 | pmid = 28107561 | pmc = 5369873 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD002003.pub5 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Reinhart |first1=Marcia |last2=Puil |first2=Lorri |last3=Salzwedel |first3=Douglas M. |last4=Wright |first4=James M. |date=2023-07-13 |title=First-line diuretics versus other classes of antihypertensive drugs for hypertension |journal=The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |volume=2023 |issue=7 |pages=CD008161 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD008161.pub3 |issn=1469-493X |pmc=10339786 |pmid=37439548}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Zhu J, Chen N, Zhou M, Guo J, Zhu C, Zhou J, Ma M, He L | display-authors = 6 | title = Calcium channel blockers versus other classes of drugs for hypertension | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | pages = CD003654 | date = January 2022 | pmid = 35000192 | pmc = 8742884 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.CD003654.pub6 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Wiysonge CS, Bradley HA, Volmink J, Mayosi BM, Opie LH | title = Beta-blockers for hypertension | journal = The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews | volume = 1 | issue = 1 | pages = CD002003 | date = January 2017 | pmid = 28107561 | pmc = 5369873 | doi = 10.1002/14651858.cd002003.pub5 }}</ref>
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)