Metoprolol ER, sometimes known as Metoprolol Succinate ER, is a type of beta blocker. Beta blockers are pharmaceutical drugs that affect a person’s heart and circulatory system and are typically prescribed for conditions such as angina, hypertension, and different types of heart disease. The drug is also prescribed for certain less common conditions, such as Long QT Syndrome, hyperthyroidism, and vasovagal snyncope. It has also been helpful in certain off-label uses, such as the treatment of certain anxiety disorders and migraines.
Patients suffering from angina, which is chest pain usually caused by coronary heart disease, have responded well to treatment with Metoprolol ER. Similarly, the medication has helped patients suffering from hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure. For both of these conditions, it is generally used as an adjunct medication in that it is most effective when used in conjunction with a proper diet, exercise, and weight management regimen.
Another effective use of Metoprolol ER has been for treating patients with various types of heart disease. Individuals suffering acute myocardial infarction, more commonly known as a heart attack, have responded well to treatment with Metoprolol. Congestive heart failure, a weakness in the pumping action of the heart, has also been successfully treated with Metoprolol ER. Similarly, the medication has also been successfully used to treat patients who experience irregular heart rhythms, such as ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia.
Aside from conditions directly related to the heart and circulatory system, Metoprolol ER has been used to treat other conditions, such as overactive thyroid, known as hyperthyroidism. It has also been used to control episodes of vasovagal syncope, which are fainting spells caused by a sudden drop in a person’s heart rate and blood pressure. Long QT, a rare, inborn heart condition is another situation in which the medication has shown some promise.
Occasionally, Metoprolol ER will be prescribed for certain off-label uses. For instance, the medication has been used in the treatment of both social anxiety and performance anxiety disorders. There has also been some evidence that the medication might be useful in treating frequent migraine headaches.
Different dosages of Metoprolol ER are prescribed based on specific conditions and patient needs. Regardless of the condition being treated, a qualified medical professional should determine the proper dosage and continuously monitor a patient, watching for any adverse or troublesome side effects. To avoid the risk of heart attack or other complications, a patient should never stop taking the medication abruptly but should be gradually weaned off of it over a period of time.