What Are Beta Blockers Used For?

Beta blockers are one of the most useful drugs available, providing solutions for myriad health issues, from the fairly trivial condition of performance anxiety to the debilitating effects of heart disease. Beta blockers can be lifesavers in more than one sense of the word.

High Blood Pressure

• Beta blockers are commonly used to treat high blood pressure. They can be very effective because they decrease the heart rate, making the heart work less.

Migraine Headaches

• Beta blockers also have a preventative effect on migraine headaches. Doctors are not sure how this mechanism works, but taking beta blockers decreases the incidence of migraine headache in many patients.

Cardiac Arrhythmias

• Beta blockers are often used in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmia. They can also help prevent heart attacks and decrease instances of angina.

Anxiety

• Beta blockers can be used to stop symptoms of anxiety. Stage performers often use them in order to cope with stage fright. They are also used in the treatment of panic attacks, since beta blockers block the release of adrenaline into the body, eliminating many anxiety symptoms.

Tremors

• Beta blockers are often used to treat essential tremor, a potentially disabling condition in which the patient experiences shaking in their arms, legs and other body parts. Beta blockers can make a significant difference in the lives of these patients, who are able to enjoy a much higher degree of functioning as a result.