Beta blocker
Beta-blockers are drugs that are able to block certain receptors, so-called ?-receptors (beta-receptors) in the human body and thus prevent the effect of the stress hormones adrenalin/noradrenalin on these receptors. Preferably, they are used in so-called tachycardic cardiac arrhythmias, as rhythm disturbances in which the heart beats with too many beats per minute. In the human organism there are two different forms of these receptors, one variant is located on the heart (?1) and the other on the blood vessels (?2), so there are different types of beta blockers depending on which receptor is to be blocked (selectively ?1 or ?2 or unselectively both receptors). In the therapy of cardiac arrhythmias, beta-blockers are preferred which act exclusively on the ?1 receptors of the heart (e.g. metoprolol, bisoprolol) and attenuate the heart’s beat activity. Since there are also some other antiarrhythmic drugs available for the therapy of arrhythmias, these are divided into 4 classes, with beta-blockers forming the 2nd class.Unlike most other antiarrhythmic drugs, beta-blockers have a proven, life-prolonging effect, so they are highly valued in cardiac rhythm therapy and are used as the means of choice to downregulate and normalize the conduction of excitation in the heart.
Recognize a cardiac arrhythmia
In addition to the typical symptoms that can cause cardiac arrhythmia, an initial physical examination can already provide indications of a rhythm disorder: by palpating the pulse (e.g. on the wrist; can also be done quite simply by yourself) or listening to the heart with a stethoscope by a physician, irregularities in the beat of the heart can easily be detected. In addition, blood pressure is often measured to give the doctor an overall picture of the condition of the cardiovascular system. To ensure the diagnosis of a cardiac arrhythmia and, above all, to determine the exact type of arrhythmia, an ECG (electrocardiogram) is usually written.
In this process, the electrical currents of the heart are measured by electrodes and recorded by a device. The ECG can be taken under resting conditions (relaxed while lying down) or under stress conditions (while running or riding a bicycle), depending on whether the rhythm disturbances occur only under physical exertion or already at rest. If the cardiac arrhythmias do not persist, a long-term ECG (a portable ECG device measures the cardiac currents for 24 hours) or a so-called event recorder (portable ECG device that is always employed by the patient to take measurements when symptoms occur) can help to identify the sporadic arrhythmias.
