If they work by only hindering the effect of epinephrine/adrenaline on the heart then why wouldnt everyone take them? Seems like the perfect drug.
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From Wikipedia:
>The primary antihypertensive mechanism of beta blockers is unclear, but may involve reduction in cardiac output (due to negative chronotropic and inotropic effects).[77] It may also be due to reduction in renin release from the kidneys, and a central nervous system effect to reduce sympathetic activity (for those beta blockers that do cross the blood–brain barrier, e.g. propranolol).
So it seems Beta blockers are one of those drugs that we know work, we just don’t really know how it works (there are a surprising number of such medicines). Well we may not know the specific mechanism of action, ultimately beta blockers cause a reduction in the stimulation of the B1 (Beta1) cell receptor, which is the receptor cells use to detect epinephrine (adrenalin) and norepinephrine. This is why we call them beta blockers.
Not everyone stands to benefit from blocking adrenaline receptors, and all medications have the potential for side effects. Why introduce extra risk with no benefit by having people take a medicine they don’t benefit from?
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