Beta blockers

Medication class detail with safety cues and nursing action focus.

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CardiacEndocrineneeds review

Beta blockers

Examples: metoprolol, atenolol, propranolol, carvedilol

Mechanism

Blocks beta stimulation so heart rate, contractility, and blood pressure can decrease.

Used for

  • Hypertension
  • Rate control
  • Heart failure
  • Post-MI support
  • Thyroid storm symptom control

Side effects

  • Bradycardia
  • Hypotension
  • Fatigue
  • Bronchospasm risk with nonselective agents

Nursing actions

  • Check apical pulse and blood pressure before giving.
  • Teach clients not to stop suddenly.
  • Use caution in asthma/COPD and watch for masked hypoglycemia symptoms.

Hold / question cues

  • Heart rate below ordered parameter
  • Symptomatic hypotension
  • New wheezing

Antidote / reversal

  • No routine class-specific antidote or reversal agent is seeded for this class; hold/question unsafe doses, support ABCs, notify the provider, and use facility or poison-control guidance for toxicity.

NCLEX pearl

  • Beta blockers put the brakes on the heart.