Medication Alert: Beta‑Blockers & Hidden Lows
Like the wolf in Red Riding Hood, beta‑blockers can disguise your body’s adrenaline alarm, making hypoglycemia harder to notice.
- Blunted warnings: fast heartbeat, tremor, and anxiety may be muted; sweating can still happen.
- What to do: rely on your meter/CGM and treat lows right away—don’t wait for symptoms.
Common beta‑blockers (examples)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol‑XL)
- Atenolol (Tenormin)
- Bisoprolol (Zebeta)
- Nadolol (Corgard)
- Carvedilol (Coreg)
- Sotalol (Betapace)
- Timolol (Blocadren)
- Nebivolol (Bystolic)
- Propranolol (Inderal, Hemangeol)
Do not stop these medications unless advised by your healthcare team. Be extra vigilant while using them.