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• beta blocker
  beta blocker

  noun

  any of various substances that interfere with the action of the beta receptors: used primarily to reduce the heart rate or force in the prevention, management, or treatment of angina, hypertension, or arrythmias.
• beta-blocker
  beta-blocker

  noun

  any of a class of drugs, such as propranolol, that inhibit the activity of the nerves that are stimulated by adrenaline; they therefore decrease the contraction and speed of the heart: used in the treatment of high blood pressure and angina pectoris

beta blocker

American  

Or beta-blocker

noun

Pharmacology.

1. any of various substances that interfere with the action of the beta receptors: used primarily to reduce the heart rate or force in the prevention, management, or treatment of angina, hypertension, or arrythmias.

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beta-blocker British  

noun

1. any of a class of drugs, such as propranolol, that inhibit the activity of the nerves that are stimulated by adrenaline; they therefore decrease the contraction and speed of the heart: used in the treatment of high blood pressure and angina pectoris

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beta-blocker Scientific  

/ bā′tə-blŏk′ər /

1. A drug that blocks the excitatory effects of epinephrine on the cardiovascular system by binding to cell-surface receptors (called beta-receptors). Beta-blockers are used to treat high blood pressure, angina, and certain abnormal heart rhythms.

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Other Word Forms

• beta-blocking
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of beta blocker

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

beta blocker beta-blocker

Ulixacaltamide could also provide an alternative to propranolol, a beta blocker used to treat a number of conditions, including essential tremor, which received its first FDA approval in 1967.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2025

The solution, some digital start-ups suggest, is a beta blocker, a type of medication that can slow heart rate and lower blood pressure — masking some of the physical symptoms of anxiety.

From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2024

Regardless, he and others hope for clinical trials to test whether preventive strategies, such as taking beta blocker drugs, might head off heart failure in someone flagged as high risk after COVID-19.

From Science Magazine ● Sep. 15, 2020

The feat of the beta blocker is that it slows down your heartbeat—but only just.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2019

But your neurologist might prescribe a beta blocker, which also reduces blood pressure, to prevent migraines.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 6, 2017

"It feels like a thump when it happens. I had one recently, in February. It's a bit scary, but it works. I'm on beta-blocker tablets too to help keep my heart in the right rhythm."

From BBC ● May 31, 2026

The reasons behind the current practice of giving everyone a beta-blocker after a heart attack can be traced back to the 1980s when studies showed unequivocally that it was beneficial.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 8, 2024

Winning an early award for best supporting actor, Downey Jr. told the crowd he had taken a beta-blocker, so “this is going to be a breeze.”

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 8, 2024

My morning beta-blocker pill and my nightly statin became just a part of my daily routine, more like brushing my teeth than an artifact of the temporary platelet pileup in my heart.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 19, 2021

He missed two games and was put on the beta-blocker Inderal by doctors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2015