3 Responses to “Hypertension-Whats the difference between an alpha and beta blocker?”

1. Starla says:

   November 2, 2009 at 12:05 pm

   It depends on the type of receptors they act upon. Alpha and Beta are a type of receptors found thoroughout your body that make part of the autonomic system (that regulates all the functions automatically without you having to think about it) for example your heart rate and in this case the diameter of the arteries. In hypertension your arteries are constricted(small diameter), and a way of treating hypertension is to make them "wider". Alpha blockers block constriction mediated by a type of receptor called alpha-1, while beta blockers act in a different way, they act blocking Beta-1 receptors which normally increase the production of a substance called renin which causes constriction. Its complicated to understand… i hope i made it a bit clearer!!
2. ckm1956 says:

   November 2, 2009 at 12:05 pm

   There are alpha & beta receptors in the sympathetic nervous system. They act totally differently.

   To make things more complicated, there are Alpha-1, Alpha-2, Beta-1, Beta-2 receptors.
3. kotonguyen821 says:

   November 2, 2009 at 12:05 pm

   I found one for heart failure… but these are related to hypertension but difficult in reading