Course Summary

Beta blockers are used to treat cardiovascular conditions, and have been around for a long time. They are a heterogeneous class of drugs with diverse properties. Beta blockers have vasodilation action that help to reduce blood pressure by reducing systemic vascular resistance. In patients with hypertension and diabetes or coronary artery disease, beta blockers provide effective blood pressure control without high risk of adverse effect on the comorbid disease. Many labeled and off-label uses for beta blockers exist. Beta blockers are a first-choice drug for common cardiovascular conditions such as angina pectoris, heart failure, and hypertension.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• I.              Introduction
• II.           The Autonomic Nervous System And Beta Blockers
  • 1.   Beta Receptors
• III.         Pharmacological Effects And Profile Of Beta Blockers
  • 1.   Characteristics That Differentiate Beta Blockers
  • 2.   Pharmacologic Similarities of Beta Blockers
  • 3.   Classifications of Beta Blockers
  • 4.   Prescribing Information
• IV.          Disease States And Beta Blockers
  • 1.   Asthma or Bronchospastic Disease
  • 2.   Diabetes Mellitus
• V.            Beta Blockers And Cardiovascular Diseases
  • 1.   Angina Pectoris
  • 2.   Atrial Fibrillation
  • 3.   Mild to Moderate Heart Failure
  • 4.   Hypertension
  • 5.   Myocardial Infarction
  • 6.   Ventricular Arrhythmias
• VI.          Beta Blocker Overdose
  • 1.   Toxic Doses of Beta Blockers
  • 2.   Overdose Signs, Symptoms and Treatment
• VII.       Summary

Author

Dana Bartlett, RN, BSN, MSN, MA, CSPI

Dana Bartlett is a professional nurse and author. His clinical experience includes 16 years of ICU and ER experience and over 27 years as a poison control center information specialist. Dana has published numerous CE and journal articles, written NCLEX material, textbook chapters, and more than 100 online CE articles, and done editing and reviewing for publishers such as Elsevier, Lippincott, and Thieme. He has written widely on the subject of toxicology and was a contributing editor, toxicology section, for Critical Care Nurse journal. He is currently employed at the Connecticut Poison Control Center. He lives in Wappingers Falls, NY.