Final answer:
Beta blockers treat hypertension by blocking beta-adrenergic receptors on the heart, preventing adrenaline from increasing heart rate and blood pressure, thus lowering blood pressure with potential side effects like bradycardia.
Step-by-step explanation:
Beta blockers, commonly used to manage hypertension, function by inhibiting the action of adrenaline on the cardiovascular system. These medications achieve their therapeutic effects by blocking beta-adrenergic receptors, specifically on cardiac tissue. Upon binding to these receptors, adrenaline normally increases heart rate and blood pressure. Beta blockers, such as metoprolol and propanolol, impede this process, leading to a reduction in heart rate and dilation of the blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure.
It's important to understand that these drugs could potentially lead to side effects such as bradycardia if overprescribed. The subtype of beta-adrenergic receptors targeted by specific beta blockers can vary, with some like metoprolol being selective for the beta-1 receptor, while others like propanolol block multiple beta receptor subtypes.