Angina – highly effective at reducing symptoms but there is no evidence to suggest they reduce mortality or improve outcomes.ACE-inhibitor therapy should be started first. When used in conjunction with an ACE-inhibitor, beneficial effects are increased.However, initiation of therapy should be cautious, and is usually started in patients after an acute episode, when signs of fluid retention have resolved, but before discharge from hospital. Carvedilol, metoprolol and bisoprolol are recommended. Heart Failure – using beta blockers in heart failure due to systolic dysfunction reduces mortality and hospital admission.Bisoprolol, atenolol or metoprolol may be used orally, or if IV is required, metoprolol (NB much smaller doses than orally!) or the short acting esmolol are useful They are also used to treat glaucoma as they reduce aqueous humour secretion. They are used mainly as anti-arrhythmic agents, but are also commonly used as secondary prevention in myocardial infarction, and as anti-hypertensives.

There are many kinds of vary half lives and lipid solubility. Beta blockers are competitive inhibitors of beta-adrenergic receptors.

Beta blocker antidote