Stress Management: Beta-Blockers

Beta-Blockers

This group includes drugs such as Propanolol and Alprenolol. These drugs act directly on the heart and circulatory system of the body. They reduce activation of the cardiovascular system by sympathetic fibres of the autonomic nervous system. In this way they directly reduce increases in heart rate and blood pressure that are associated with stressful situations, and are also used in the management of chronic hypertension (raised blood pressure).

In this way beta-blockers are useful in controlling bodily arousal. It is interesting to note that they…