Carvedilol is a type of medicine called a beta blocker. It lowers your blood pressure by blocking chemicals that can make your heart more active than it needs to be. The main chemical it blocks is norepinephrine. This is a type of adrenaline. Blocking some of this chemical can make your heart pump slower. A slower heart rate lowers the force of blood flowing through your body. Carvedilol also helps open up your blood vessels. These effects all help lower your blood pressure.

Adrenaline is a normal chemical that your body releases when it is scared or stressed. It activates a part of your nervous system -- the part that causes the “fight-or-flight” response. The nervous system then raises your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Everyone has this chemical in their body all the time. By blocking some of it, carvedilol can slow down the heart. This can lower your blood pressure.

Less stress, less pressure, more health!