Non-Specific Beta-Blockers & Bronchoconstrictive Disease?

by shainelee

Non-Specific Beta-Blockers & Bronchoconstrictive Disease?Non-Specific Beta-Blockers & Bronchoconstrictive Disease?
Why do some Doctors place Hypertensive or Heart Failure patients on non-specific beta blockers when these patients are known to also have Asthma or COPD? Yet other Dr's will always place these patients on a Beta 1 specific blocking agent to allow bronchodilation by Beta-2 agonists such as Albuterol & Xopenex when they have an asthma attack or COPD exacerbation? I don't understand why some Doctors believe the medical research pertaining to this issue & other's don't? Are there any Medical Students or Doctors out there that can answer this question?
versantly and catwoman appearently didn't read the entire question. I'm not on any of these. I just notice this happens and think its stupid. I'm just trying to get insight on it from others.

Answer by Dixie
Yeah, I'm right there with you. Evidence based medicine be damned, the doctors know everything.

Answer by versantly
follow up with a pulmonologist. write down your questions and have the specialist answer them.

Answer by catwoman1314
Beta-blockers are not always used for heart ploblems as much as used to regulate a heartbeat

Answer by me2008
Nadolol and propranolol have no role in heart failure. however, carvedilol (a,b1,b2) has good data regarding its use in heart failure (COMET trial).
Regarding essential hypetension, at least in our insitution, the BB of choise is metoprolol, specifically for it's b1 agonistic effects.
I only see really old timers occasionally use nadolol and propranolol.
The other time I will see a non-selective bb used in hypertension, is in patients with very difficult to control hypertension, and in those cases i see labetalol being used (also a, b1, and b2).
Active cocaine users can be treated with labetalol and carvedilol, although there is some theoritical controversy over its incomplete alpha antagonism.
The one instance where I see a strong indication for the use of nonselective b-blockers is for the prophylaxis of esophageal varices in liver cirrhotics. In those cases, nadolol and propranolol are used. b1 blockers are not sufficent in those cases.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments! Learn about heart disease symptoms, risk factors and prevention, as well as information on heart attack, heart failure, and heart health.

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