They are pills that are prescribed to millions in the UK to treat heart conditions and anxiety.
But beta -blockers can pose a hidden risk for the 7.2 million people who live with asthma has warned an NHS home doctor.
According to the British Heart Foundation, British doctors spend more than 50 million recipes for beta -blockers every year.
The drugs slow down the heartbeat and lower blood pressure, and general cause few side effects.
Dr. Sooj, a general practitioner with more than 250,000 taps followers, warned that beta -blockers can interfere with asthma medicines -possibly jeopardize some patients during an attack.
Asthma causes symptoms such as squeaky breathing, coughing and crushing of the breast.
Although generally manageable, it can become life threatening when seriously inflamed airways make it extremely difficult to breathe.
Asthma UK reports that every year around 1200 people die from asthma attacks in the UK, while in the US the figure is more than 3,500.
In a tap, Dr Sooj explained: ‘If you have asthma, you must be careful and we must ensure that you are aware of one of the risks and possible complications of taking a beta -blocker.
“The drugs we use with an acute asthma attack are called beta -agonists -these help to dilate the pipes in your lungs.”
Dr. Sooj explained that these beta agonists found in many common inhalers work by relaxing the muscles in the airways, making it easier to breathe.
But beta -blockers can clash this effect. “By doing that, they can worsen the symptoms of asthma,” he said.
And it’s not just people with asthma who can be hit. Inhalers are also routinely prescribed to people with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), an umbrella term for long -term lung diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
These incurable circumstances can also cause serious breathing difficulties, and beta -blockers can also pose a risk for this group.
The NHS advises patients with asthma or lung disease to inform their doctor before they start beta-blockers to ensure that the medicine is safe.
That said, Dr. Sooj added: “I have seen many patients with COPD or asthma who are on beta -blockers and they are completely fine in it.”
According to NHS GP Dr SOOJ, if you have asthma or chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), you have to think twice before you take them.
“But this is a discussion that you should have with your own doctor,” Dr. advised Sooj.
He emphasized that beta -blockers remain excellent medicines when they are used in the right way, and emphasized the newer versions of improved safety profiles.
“We now have cardioselective beta -blockers, who influence the body a little less,” he explained, referring to medicines that are mainly focused on the heart instead of the lungs, making them less inclined to aggravate asthma or COPD.
The warning comes in the midst of growing concern about the use of propranolol-and a non-selective beta-blocker-in particular for anxiety.
Propranolol is linked to serious side effects in high doses, including attacks, depression and even cardiac arrest. In rare cases, patients have experienced toxic overdose.
According to recent research, the number of British recipes for propranolol to treat anxiety between 2003 and 2018.
Although the drug can help to reduce feelings of panic by reducing blood pressure and heart rate, some experts claim that there is no strong evidence that it effectively treats mental disorders.
In a recent letter to The Guardian, pharmacist Christopher Sullivan wrote that propranolol ‘is associated with significant adverse results’ and urged GPS to exercise extreme caution when prescribing fear.
It follows a recent warning by experts that beta -blockers can run the risk of ‘toxic overdose’
“Prescribing these medicines for anxiety is not recommended in national evidence-based guidelines,” he added.
It followed for comments from GP Dr. Amir Khan, who told the newspaper that propananol was linked to ‘higher percentages of depression’ and warned general practitioners not to prescribe it to anxious patients who also suffer a low mood.
“If you take them in the long term, you can’t suddenly stop them,” he added. “You have to be weaned off.”
It is not thought that the risks relate to those who use the drug for heart problems and other physical problems such as migraine – but experts say that patients with psychological problems are vulnerable to accidentally or deliberately an overdose.
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