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Beta Blocker Drugs

Non-selective agents

  • Alprenolol
  • Bucindolol
  • Carteolol
  • Carvedilol (has additional α-blocking activity)
  • Labetalol (has additional α-blocking activity)
  • Nadolol
  • Penbutolol (has intrinsic sympathomimetic activity)
  • Pindolol (has intrinsic sympathomimetic activity)
  • Propranolol
  • Timolol

β1-Selective agents

  • Acebutolol (has intrinsic sympathomimetic activity)
  • Atenolol
  • Betaxolol
  • Bisoprolol
  • Celiprolol
  • Esmolol
  • Metoprolol
  • Nebivolol

β2-Selective agents

  • Butaxamine (weak α-adrenergic agonist activity) - No common clinical applications, but used in experiments.
  • ICI-118 Highly selective β2-adrenergic receptor antagonist - No known clinical applications, but used in experiments due to its strong receptor specificity.

Comparative Information

Pharmacological differences

  • Agents with intrinsic sympathomimetic action (ISA)
    • Acebutolol, carteolol, celiprolol, mepindolol, oxprenolol, pindolol
    • Agents with greater aqueous solubility
      • , celiprolol, nadolol, sotalol
      • Agents with membrane stabilizing effect
        • Acebutolol, betaxolol, pindolol, propranolol
        • Agents with antioxidant effect
          • Carvedilol
          • Nebivolol

Indication differences

  • Agents specifically indicated for cardiac arrhythmia
    • Esmolol, sotalol, landiolol
    • Agents specifically indicated for congestive heart failure
      • Bisoprolol, carvedilol, sustained-release metoprolol, nebivolol
      • Agents specifically indicated for glaucoma
        • Betaxolol, carteolol, levobunolol, metipranolol, timolol
        • Agents specifically indicated for myocardial infarction
          • Atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol
          • Agents specifically indicated for migraine prophylaxis
            • Timolol, propranolol
Propranolol is the only agent indicated for control of tremor, portal hypertension and esophageal variceal bleeding, and used in conjunction with α-blocker therapy in phaeochromocytoma.

Further Reading


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