Why can't you just stop a beta-blocker?

Beta-blockers like metoprolol, atenolol and propranolol are among the most widely taken medicines in the country, and plenty of people reach a point where they wonder whether they still need one. The honest answer is that it is a fair question to raise with your provider, and that the way you stop matters as much as whether you stop.

This episode walks through what the medicine is doing day to day, why the heart becomes extra sensitive to adrenaline while it is blocked, and what that rebound can look like if the drug disappears all at once. It also covers who should be most cautious, what a gradual step-down over at least two weeks tends to look like in practice, and the situations where stopping is not on the table at all.

Read the full guide: How to Safely Come Off Beta-Blockers: A Patient Guide. To find someone trained in deprescribing, see the MyDeprescriber provider directory.

The hosts of this episode are AI-generated from the written guide.

Educational only, not medical advice. Never stop a medication without your provider. If you are in crisis in the US, call or text 988.