AARP: Beta-Blockers for Anxiety—What Older Adults Should Know
AARP recently interviewed Nathalie Murphy, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist at Cedars-Sinai, about how beta-blockers can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of anxiety and why the medications are not appropriate for everyone.
Beta-blockers, used to treat high blood pressure and other heart conditions, mute the effects of adrenaline, slowing the heart rate and relaxing blood vessels. Prescribed off-label, they can ease some of the physical symptoms associated with short-term, situational anxiety, such as nervousness before a speech or presentation.
“For example, if you have tremors, if you have sweating, if you have palpitations, if you have increased heart rates, the beta-blockers essentially target that and dull that down,” Murphy told AARP.
She said beta-blockers provide an additional option for people who experience occasional anxiety, particularly those who cannot tolerate or are not good candidates for other anxiety medications.
“They’re kind of a different class of medications compared to other, more classical treatments we have for anxiety and depression,” she said. “They’re not SSRIs, they’re not antidepressants, they’re not benzodiazepines.”
However, Murphy noted that beta-blockers may not be suitable for everyone, including people with certain heart or circulation conditions. They also can worsen asthma and mask signs of low blood sugar.
She told AARP that people considering beta-blockers should consult their healthcare provider to help determine whether the medication is right for them or whether speaking with a mental health professional would be more appropriate.
Beta-blockers are not a treatment for chronic conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder.
Read the complete article from AARP.