Abstract
Beta-adrenergic blocking drugs have a variety of psychologic and behavioral effects. Among those effects considered beneficial, decreases in anxiety and type A behavior and improved psychologic reactions to acutely stressful situations have been observed. The somatic manifestations of these conditions appear to be reduced more effectively by beta blockade than are cognitive or attitudinal manifestations. Because of this, the emotion- related influences of these drugs are primarily thought to reflect the inhibition of peripheral beta-adrenergic responses. This article reviews evidence for these effects and describes cautions regarding unwanted psychologic and behavioral side effects of beta blockers with different pharmacologic properties. For cardiac patients disturbed, by somatic symptoms, beta blockers may provide a means for reducing psychobiologic effects of stress, with relatively little impact on task performance.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 267-273 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Cardiac Rehabilitation |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| State | Published - Jun 1985 |