Managing and coping with stress: drug therapy — benzodiazepines, beta blockers
Doctors prescribe two main drug types to reduce stress. Benzodiazepines calm the nervous system, and beta blockers slow the heart and reduce physical arousal.
Real World
During the COVID-19 pandemic, UK prescriptions for benzodiazepines and beta blockers rose sharply as lockdown stress increased — beta blockers were notably used by NHS staff before high-pressure clinical scenarios to suppress physical symptoms of anxiety such as trembling hands.
Exam Focus
Distinguish BZs (act on GABA/CNS) from beta blockers (act on adrenaline/ANS peripherally) — confusing their mechanisms loses AO1 marks.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
How well did you know this?