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5) Beta Blockers
Like calcium channel blockers, beta blockers are a large family of medications used to treat other conditions along with hypertension. They are classified according to their specificity in targeting a certain receptor in the heart, blood vessels and the lung called beta receptors. They include medications like Propanolol, Labetalol, Atenolol, and Bisoprolol. They work mainly by decreasing heart rate, which in turn decreases blood pressure. They are used in many other conditions including anxiety, irregular heartbeats, and after myocardial infarction (heart attacks).
The main side effect of beta blockers is that too much of them can cause heart block and those which are non-selective (which do not just target the heart) can cause asthma attacks in asthmatic patients. They are also not preferred in diabetic patients as they increase insulin resistance. Beta blockers are rarely used nowadays to control blood pressure alone and are commonly combined with other medications such as ACE inhibitors or thiazide diuretics in some patients.
