br br Beta-blockers are one of the high blood pressure medications which block the effects of adrenaline and other hormones that stimulate the heart and cause blood pressure to rise. They have been available since the 1960s and are being prescribed for a variety of medical conditions. br br Beta-blockers, which relax the blood vessels by blocking certain nerve impulses, are very versatile drugs. These agents have some 20 different approved uses or indications. Besides lowering blood pressure, they prevent anxiety and panic attacks, a boon for entertainers and public speakers; they are a mainstay in the treatment of angina, irregular heartbeats and heart attacks, according to Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld of the New York Hospital - Memorial Sloan - Kettering Cancer Center in The Best Treatment.