β-Blockers in Metabolic and Endocrine Perspectives

Catecholamine, through α-adrenergic receptor and β-adrenergic receptor activation, plays many roles in body’s physiological and pathophysiologicalprocesses. β-adrenergic receptor has different effect pursuant to receptor type, receptor location and G protein activation in the receptor. Beta receptor blockers (β-blockers) are a drug commonly used for cardiovascular disease. There are 3 different generations of β-blockers. In addition to their great advantages in cardiovascular, β-blockers also have metabolic and endocrine effects. β-blocker may influence sugar and insulin, fat, melatonin, cancer, blood uric acid and thyroid hormone metabolism. These metabolic effects may be disadvantageous, which mostly takes place with initial generation β-blockers. Third generation β-blockers do not show disadvantageous metabolic effect. However, early generation β-blockers may be advantageous in certain condition.