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GuideWisdom™

This WisdomCard managed by: Kricel Abreu

Beta blockers are a class of drugs that reduce blood pressure. They are used for various conditions, such as high blood pressure, glaucoma, migraines, anxiety and for the management of cardiac arrhythmias and cardioprotection after myocardial infarction.

Fast Facts:

• --Some common side effects of beta blockers are coldness in the hands and feet, dizziness, lightheadedness, drowsiness, and blurred vision.
• --Serious side effects can include slow or irregular heartbeat and allergic reaction.
• --Diuretics, cold preparations and nasal decongestants, reserpine, other heart or high blood pressure medications and St. John's Wort may interfere with beta blockers.

5 Great Resources on Beta Blockers

• Mayo Clinic: Beta Blockers
• Texas Heart Institute: Beta-Blockers
• iVillage TotalHealth: Beta Blockers
• Family Doctor: Beta-Blockers for Heart Problems
• Cardiovascular Pharmacology Concepts: Beta-Adrenoceptor Antagonists (Beta-Blockers)

5 Latest Headlines on Beta Blockers

• More Beta Blockers News from Google

What are Beta Blockers?

• Wikipedia: Beta Blocker
• MedicineNet: Beta Blockers
• MedicWeb Hypertension: Beta-Blockers
• BBC News: Q&A: Beta-blockers
• National Headache Foundation: Beta Blockers
• WrongDiagnosis: Beta Blocker

What Are The Uses for Beta Blockers?

• American Heart Association: Medications Commonly Used to Treat Heart Failure
• Cleveland Clinic (via WebMD): Heart Disease: Beta-Blocker Therapy
• MedicineNet: Why Take a Beta Blocker?
• Cardiovascular Consultants Medical Group: Beta Blockers
• Healthwise (via Yahoo Health): Beta-blockers for Glaucoma
• WrongDiagnosis: Treatments: Beta blockers
• RxList: Beta Blocker Drugs

What Are The Side Effects, Interactions and Precautions for Beta Blockers?

• eMedicine: Toxicity, Beta-blocker
• Cleveland Clinic (via WebMD): Beta-Blocker Therapy - Side Effects, Interactions, and Precautions
• CHF Patients: Beta-Blockers
• A.D.A.M. (via MedlinePlus): Beta Blockers Overdose
• MedicineNet: Beta Blockers - Side Effects & Precautions | Drug Interactions & Overdose

What are the Alternatives to Beta Blockers?

• ACC Conversations with Experts: What to Use When Beta Blockers Aren't an Option in Hypertension
• National Marfan Foundation: What are the Alternatives to Beta-Blockers?
• American Heart Association: Digitalis
• ACE Inhibitors
• Calcium Channel Blockers

What are the Holistic Alternatives to Beta Blockers?

• UpToDate: Patient Information: High Blood Pressure, Diet, and Weight
• Ray Sahelian, M.D.: Hypertension Natural Therapy

Wisdom, Personal Experiences and Blogs about Beta Blockers

• Mayo Clinic: Beta blockers: How do They Affect Exercise?
• Peanut Allergy and Peanut Products: Special Caution for People on Beta Blockers
• The Happy Hospitalist: Oh Well
• The Hair Centre: Female Hair Loss and Beta Blockers
• Chamber Music Today: Managing Stage Fright & Performance Anxiety in Classical Musicians
• Ethan Winer: Beta Blockers and Performance Anxiety in Musicians
• Vaso-vagal Syncope: Beta Blockers

Clinical Trials for Beta Blockers

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Beta Blockers Studies
• CenterWatch: Beta Blockers Studies

Message Boards, Chat and Discussions about Beta Blockers

• MedHelp: Beta Blocker Alternatives | Alternatives to Beta Blocker
• Multiple Sclerosis Society: Beta-Blockers Propranolol (Inderal)
• HealthBoards: Low Dose Beta-Blockers
• QT Syndrome: Symptoms With Beta Blockers and ICD

Controversy and Lawsuits about Beta Blockers

• The Boston Globe: Doctors Urged to Curb Reliance on Beta-Blockers

Scientific and Medical Journal Articles on Beta Blockers

• PubMed: Beta Blocker Articles
• JAMA: Beta Blocker Articles
• Google Scholar: Beta Blocker Articles
• Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine: Should Beta-Blockers Be Discontinued when a Patient is Admitted to the Hospital with Acutely Decompensated Heart Failure?

Related WisdomCards

• Heart Failure
• High Blood Pressure
• Glaucoma
• Migraines
• Anxiety
• Long-QT Syndrome
• ACE Inhibitors
• Calcium Channel Blockers

User Recommended Links for Beta Blockers

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