How Does Toprol Work?

 Toprol® (short for Toprol-XL®) is a prescription medication used to treat several conditions that affect the heart or blood vessels, such as high blood pressure, angina, or congestive heart failure. But how does Toprol work?
 
Toprol works by relaxing the blood vessels and reducing the workload of the heart, which allows more blood to be pumped from the heart. Because of these effects, Toprol has been shown to:
 
  • Decrease blood pressure
  • Increase efficiency of the heart
  • Decrease the risks that occur with long-term high blood pressure
  • Decrease the number of angina attacks
  • Improve exercise tolerance
  • Decrease hospitalizations and loss of life from heart failure.
     
(For more information on Toprol and how it works, click Toprol-XL Uses. This article takes a closer look at the drug's specific uses, its safety in children, and possible off-label uses.)
 
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD
 
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