ASTHMA MEDICATIONS AND BETA-BLOCKER DRUGS

Beta-blocker drugs interfere with the body’s natural fight-or-flight response and are often prescribed to treat conditions when increased heart rate is a risk, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and heart palpitations. People with respiratory conditions like asthma are often prescribed a beta agonist medication. Beta agonists are sometimes called bronchodilators because they relax the airways and promote easier breathing. It was previously thought that beta-blocker drugs would counteract the effectiveness of a beta agonist and make breathing more difficult for asthma patients. However, studies show the use of cardio-selective beta blockers does not interfere with beta agonists. Nonselective beta blockers are still thought to decrease the response to beta agonists and the two should not be used together. 

P.S. Cough-variant asthma is a type of asthma that causes a dry, unproductive cough. A chronic cough that begins after a person starts taking beta-blocker drugs is often diagnosed as cough-variant asthma.

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