Beta blockers are currently used widely around the world as a treatment for hypertension. However, like all medications, beta blockers come with their own share of side-effects and shortcomings.

To begin with, beta blockers often tend to conflict with other medications the patient may be taking for other complications (such as asthma and other diseases which may cause breathing difficulties) which are not directly related to hypertension. For this reason, diabetic patients should refrain from using beta blockers for the treatment of hypertension, since beta blockers can nullify the body's response to hypoglycemic crises, creating more trouble rather than fixing any.

Use of beta blockers can cause some patients to experience a lack of physical coordination and/or feel strangely light-headed. A smaller percentage of patients have been known to undergo cases of severe clinical depression as a side-effect of using beta blockers, which has sometimes led to suicide. More commonly observed side-effects of beta blockers include rash, bradycardia, sexual impotence and diarrhea. Another very negative side-effect associated with the use of beta blockers is its reduction of helpful cholesterol from and introduction of harmful cholesterol into the bloodstream. Through this, as well as the introduction of triglycerides, the use of beta blocker may even lead to cardiac arrests.