Beta blockers or beta-blockers is a class of drugs used to treat various conditions of the heart. Beta blockers are often called beta-adrenergic blocking agents whose main function is to lower blood pressure.
Beta blockers are commonly used to treat conditions, such as:
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Heart attack (myocardial infarction)
- Heart failure
- Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia)
- Chest pain (angina)
- Migraine
- Certain types of tremors
- Glaucoma
- Excess thyroid hormone in the blood (hyperthyroidism)
- Worry.
Drugs from the beta blocker class work by suppressing the effects of the hormone epinephrine or adrenaline, which are hormones that play a role in circulating blood, thus making the heart beat slower and work less, and blood pressure to drop. In addition, this drug also helps dilate blood vessels so that blood circulation runs smoothly.
Beta blockers are divided into 2 types, based on which beta receptors are blocked and their effect on the body. The following are two types of beta-blocking drugs:
- Selective beta blockers. Tasked with blocking beta-1 receptors with the effect of affecting the work of the heart, but not on the respiratory tract. Selective beta blockers are atenolol, esmolol, betaxolol, bisoprolol, metoprolol, and nebivolol.
- Nonselective beta blockers: Tasked with blocking beta-1 and beta-2 receptors with effects that affect the heart, blood vessels, and respiratory pathways. The nonselective beta blockers are labetalol. carvedilol, propranolol, and timolol.
Warning:
- Women who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant should first consult their doctor before taking or using this medicine.
- Please be careful using this medicine if you have a history of drug allergies, a history of heart disease, kidney disease, diabetes, asthma, slow heart rate (bradycardia), heart failure that is not being treated properly, low blood pressure (hypotension), or rhythm disturbances. heart (eg sick sinus syndrome).
- Patients are advised to check their sugar levels to the doctor regularly, if they experience a fast-beating heart condition.
- Taking beta blockers can affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels, leading to a gradual increase in triglyceride levels and a decrease in “good” or “good cholesterol” levels. high-density lipoprotein (HDL).
- Avoid consuming caffeine and alcoholic beverages while taking this drug.
- Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including supplements and herbal products, to avoid unwanted drug interactions.
- If an allergic reaction or overdose occurs, see a doctor immediately.
Beta Blocker Side Effects
Side effects that are often experienced after taking beta-blocking drugs are dizziness, nausea and diarrhea, blurred vision, fatigue, slowed heart rate, and cold hands and feet. Meanwhile, side effects that rarely occur are insomnia, depression, decreased sexual desire, or impotence.
Types, Trademarks, and Dosage of Beta Blockers
The following are the types of drugs that belong to the class of beta-blocking drugs:beta blockers). For a more detailed explanation of the side effects, warnings, or interactions of each beta-blocking drug, please refer to the A-Z Drugs page.
Types of selective beta blockers:
Atenolol
Atenolol trademarks: Betablok, Farnormin 50, Internolol 50, Lotenac, Niften, Tenblok, Tenormin, Tensinorm
Drug form: tablet
- Hypertension
Mature: 25-100 mg, once daily.
- Angina pectoris
Mature:
50-100 mg, once a day or divided into several consumption schedules. The maximum dose is 200 mg per day.
Betaxolol
Betaxolol trademarks: Betoptima, Optibet, Tonor
Medicine form: eye drops
- Open angle glaucoma (open angle glaucoma)Mature: In 0.25% or 0.5% eye drops, the dose given is one drop twice a day.
Bisoprolol
Trademarks: Bipro, Bisoprolol Fumarate, Bisovell, Concor, Lodoz, Maintate, Miniten, Opiprol
Drug form: tablet
- Hypertension and angina
Mature:
5-10 mg, once daily. Maximum 20 mg. - Heart failure
Mature:
The initial dose is 1.25 mg, once daily. The dose can be doubled after one week if the patient responds well to the drug. The maximum dose is 10 mg per day.
Metoprolol
Trademarks of Metoprolol: Fapressor, Lopressor, Loprolol\
Drug form: injection
- Heart attack
Mature: The usual dose within 12 hours of a heart attack is 5 mg, every two minutes, up to a total of 15 mg if the drug is well tolerated by the patient. For patients who received the full dose, after 15 minutes will be given oral treatment of 50 mg every 6 hours for two days. For patients who cannot tolerate the full dose of the drug, the dose of the oral medication will be reduced by the doctor. For further treatment: 100 mg twice daily.
- Arrhythmia
Mature: The maximum initial dose is 5 mg, with 1-2 mg per minute. Then, the dose is given again every five minutes until it reaches a total of 10-15 mg.
Drug form: tablet
- Hypertension
Mature: The initial dose is 100 mg per day, which is divided into 1-2 times the consumption schedule. The dose may be increased weekly to 400 mg daily, depending on the patient's response to the drug. Dosage for tablet type extended release is 25-100 mg, once daily.
- Cardiac arrhythmia
Mature: 50 mg, 2-3 times a day. The dose can be increased to 300 mg per day if needed.
- Heart failure
Mature: Initial dose 12.5-25 mg, once daily. The dose may be increased every two weeks, up to 200 mg once daily, if the patient responds well to the drug. Tablet dosage extended release is 25 mg, once daily. The dose for patients with heart failure is 12.5 mg, once a day. The dose may be increased every two weeks to a maximum dose of 200 mg, if the patient responds well to the drug.
- Migraine
Mature: 100-200 mg per day, which is divided into several consumption schedules. Tablet dosage extended release is 100 mg, once daily.
- Angina pectoris
Mature: 50-100 mg, 2-3 times a day. Tablet dosage extended release is 100-200 mg, once daily.
- Hyperthyroidism
Mature: 50 mg, four times daily.
Nebivolol
Trademarks: nebilet, nebivolol, nevodio
Drug form: tablet
- Hypertension
Mature:The initial dose is 5 mg, once daily, and may be increased every two weeks if needed. The maximum dose is 40 mg, once daily.
Elderly >65 years:2.5-5 mg, once daily.
- Heart failure
Mature:The initial dose is 1.25 mg, once daily. The dose can be doubled every 1-2 weeks if the patient responds well to the drug. The maximum dose is 10 mg, once daily.
Types of nonselective beta blockers:
Carvedilol
Carvedilol trademarks: Blorec, V-Bloc
Drug form: tablet
- Hypertension
Mature: The initial dose is 12.5 mg, once daily. After two days, the dose may be increased to 25 mg, once daily. An alternative dose is 6.25 mg, twice daily, which is increased to 12.5 mg, twice daily, after 1-2 weeks. The dose may be increased again to 50 mg, once daily, after two weeks of treatment and if necessary.
seniors: 12.5 mg, once daily.
- Heart failure
Mature: The initial dose is 3.125 mg, twice daily. The dose may be doubled to 6.25 mg, twice daily, after two weeks, if the patient's response to the drug is satisfactory. The maximum dose for patients weighing less than 85 kg is 25 mg, twice daily. The maximum dose for patients weighing 85 kg and above is 50 mg, twice daily.
- Angina pectoris
Mature:
The initial dose is 12.5 mg, twice daily. After two days, the dose may be increased to 25 mg, twice daily.
- After a heart attack
Mature:
The initial dose is 6.25 mg, twice daily, which is increased to 12.5 mg, twice daily, after 3-10 days, if the patient responds well to the drug.
Propranolol
Trademarks: Farmadral 10, Libok, Propranolol
Drug form: tablet
- Hypertension
Mature:
The usual starting dose of tablets is 40-80 mg, twice a day. The follow-up dose is 160-320 mg per day. Maximum 640 mg per day. For capsules extended releases, the initial dose is 80 mg, once daily. The follow-up dose is 120-160 mg, once daily. Maximum 640 mg per day.Children: The usual initial dose of tablets is 1 mg/kgBW per day, divided into two consumption schedules. The follow-up dose is 2-4 mg/kgBW per day, divided into two consumption schedules. The maximum dose per day is 4 mg/kg body weight.
- Heart attack
Mature:
The usual tablet dose is 40 mg, four times daily, for 2-3 days, followed by 80 mg, twice daily. An alternative dose is 180-240 mg per day, which is divided into several consumption schedules.
- portal hypertension
Mature:
The usual starting dose of tablets is 40 mg, twice daily, which is increased weekly to 160 mg, twice daily. capsule dosage extended release is 80-160 mg, once per day.
- Cardiac arrhythmia
Mature:
30-160 mg per day, which is divided into several consumption schedules.Children: 0.25-0.5 mg/kg, 3-4 times a day.
- Angina pectoris and tremors
Mature:
The usual tablet dose is 40 mg, 2-3 times per day, a maximum of 320 mg per day. capsule dosage extended release is 80-160 mg, once daily. The maximum dose is 240 mg per day.
- Hyperthyroidism and anxiety
Mature:
The usual dose of tablets is 10-40 mg, 3-4 times a day.capsule dosage extended release is 80-160 mg, once daily, a maximum of 240 mg per day.
Children: The usual tablet dose is 0.25-0.5 mg/kg, 3-4 times a day.
Timolol
Timolol trademarks: Azarga, Duotrav, Glaoplus, Isotic Adretor, Tim-Ophtal, Timol, Xalacom, Ximex
Medicine form: eye drops
- Glaucoma and ocular hypertension
Mature:
The dose of timolol drops containing 0.25-0.5% is one drop, twice daily, in the eye with glaucoma.