Metoprolol is a selective beta receptor blocker medication. Physicians often prescribe the drug for cardiovascular diseases or disorders. It is also available under the brand names Lopressor, Metolar and Metolar XR. Some speculate that patients may also use Metoprolol for anxiety. (1)
Scientists from US-pharmaceutical Novartis first synthesized it in 1969 before getting FDA’s approval in 1978. The World Health Organization also included the drug in its List of Essential Medicines. Its inclusion means that Metoprolol is among the most important drugs that must be present in basic healthcare systems. Metoprolol has likewise become the 19th most prescribed drug in the US during 2013.
What Is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a mental disorder that causes people to experience excessive fear or worry. It is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders in the world. It affects at least 44 million adults in the US alone. Sadly, only about a third of them get the proper treatment. (2)
Anxiety may be due to various factors such as the environment, stress, trauma, or genetics. Its severity can range anywhere from mild worry to disabling panic attacks. Multiple forms of it exist such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorders, and social anxiety disorders. It may also worsen through time if the patient disregards its symptoms.
Can I Use Metoprolol For Anxiety?
Several types of anxieties exist. Hence, no drug can be said to be able to cure all kinds of anxiety alone. One drug may be able to suppress the symptoms of one type of anxiety but fail on others. These differences are the reasons experts warn people against medicines that claim to be the cure for anxiety.
Using Metoprolol for anxiety is one of the off-label uses is Metoprolol. Off-label use means the FDA has not approved the drug for such purpose. Its ability to block beta receptors helps prevent stress hormones in the body from attaching to their receptors. By doing so, the drug reduces the symptoms of anxiety such as high blood pressure and rapid heartbeats.
Patients must take extreme caution when taking Metoprolol for anxiety. Remember to use the drug only by a doctor’s instruction. Misuse of the drug may increase anxiety or even cause heart failure in some patients. Lastly, we recommend that you ask your physician for other anti-anxiety medications before using Metoprolol for anxiety.
Other Uses Of Metoprolol
The United States’ Food and Drug Administration has approved the Metoprolol for three specific illnesses. These illnesses include hypertension, angina pectoris, and myocardial infarction or heart attack. Doctors often prescribe the drug for patients who have high blood pressure and those who have fast heart rates. (3)
Other uses of the drug also include migraine headaches, treatment of hyperthyroidism, prevention of relapse into atrial fibrillation, and more. The FDA has not yet approved most of these uses. However, some studies support them. Nevertheless, take extreme caution when taking any drug for its off-label uses.
Also Read: Does Celexa Work For Anxiety?
