{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,20]],"date-time":"2025-11-20T13:12:15Z","timestamp":1763644335589,"version":"3.37.3"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"Royal College of General Practitioners","issue":"748","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,2,12]],"date-time":"2019-02-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1549929600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Br J Gen Pract"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,28]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Between 2003 and 2018, incident prescriptions of beta-blockers for anxiety increased substantially, particularly for young adults. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance for anxiety does not recommend beta-blockers, probably due to a lack of evidence to support such use. Recent reports have highlighted the potential risks of beta-blockers.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Aim<\/jats:title><jats:p>To understand when and why GPs prescribe beta-blockers for people with anxiety.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Design and setting<\/jats:title><jats:p>In-depth interviews with 17 GPs in Bristol and the surrounding areas.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Method<\/jats:title><jats:p>Interviews were held by telephone or video call. A topic guide was used to ensure consistency across interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed thematically.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Many GPs viewed beta-blockers as \u2018low risk\u2019, particularly for young adults. Some GPs viewed beta-blockers as an alternative to benzodiazepines, acting quickly and not leading to dependence. GPs reflected that some patients appeared to want an \u2018immediate fix\u2019 to their symptoms, which GPs thought beta-blockers could potentially offer. This is salient in light of substantial waiting lists for talking therapies and delays in antidepressants taking effect. GPs described how some patients seemed more willing to try beta-blockers than antidepressants, as patients did not perceive them as \u2018mental health drugs\u2019 and therefore viewed them as potentially more acceptable and less stigmatising. Further, GPs viewed beta-blockers as \u2018patient-led\u2019, with patients managing their own dose and frequency, without GP input.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Many GPs believe that beta-blockers have a role to play in the management of anxiety. Given recent increases in the prescribing of these drugs in primary care, there is a need to assess their safety and effectiveness as a treatment for people with anxiety disorders.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3399\/bjgp.2024.0091","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,11]],"date-time":"2024-06-11T00:20:14Z","timestamp":1718065214000},"page":"e735-e741","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":7,"title":["GPs\u2019 views of prescribing beta-\u200ablockers for people with anxiety disorders: a qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.3399","volume":"74","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4762-2950","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Charlotte","family":"Archer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5333-132X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"David","family":"Kessler","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5250-3553","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nicola","family":"Wiles","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9722-9981","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carolyn A","family":"Chew-Graham","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6375-2918","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katrina","family":"Turner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1987","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"2024103117301151000_74.748.e735.1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/fampra\/cmp071"},{"key":"2024103117301151000_74.748.e735.2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7326\/0003-4819-146-5-200703060-00004"},{"issue":"2","key":"2024103117301151000_74.748.e735.3","first-page":"PCC.08r00709","article-title":"Treatment of generalized anxiety disorder: a comprehensive review of the literature for psychopharmacologic alternatives to newer antidepressants and benzodiazepines","volume":"13","author":"Huh","year":"2011","journal-title":"Prim Care Companion CNS Disord"},{"key":"2024103117301151000_74.748.e735.4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/14740338.2018.1429403"},{"key":"2024103117301151000_74.748.e735.5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2147\/NDT.S36453"},{"key":"2024103117301151000_74.748.e735.6","unstructured":"National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2024) BNF: Propranolol hydrochloride, https:\/\/bnf.nice.org.uk\/drugs\/propranolol-hydrochloride (accessed 5 Sep 2024)."},{"key":"2024103117301151000_74.748.e735.7","unstructured":"Archer CS (2020) The management of anxiety disorders in UK primary care: a multi-method study, https:\/\/research-information.bris.ac.uk\/ws\/portalfiles\/portal\/266532949\/Final_Copy_2021_01_21_Archer_C_S_PhD_Redacted.pdf (accessed 5 Sep 2024)."},{"issue":"3","key":"2024103117301151000_74.748.e735.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1192\/bjb.2018.10","article-title":"General practitioner referral of older patients to Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT): an exploratory qualitative study","volume":"42","author":"Collins","year":"2018","journal-title":"BJPsych Bull"},{"key":"2024103117301151000_74.748.e735.9","unstructured":"NICE (2020) Generalised anxiety disorder and panic disorder in adults: management. 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