RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Beta-blockers for tenacious saliva: a case report
JF BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
JO BMJ Support Palliat Care
FD British Medical Journal Publishing Group
SP e936
OP e938
DO 10.1136/bmjspcare-2022-003615
VO 13
IS e3
A1 Myles J. Woodman
A1 Paul Howard
YR 2023
UL http://spcare.bmj.com/content/13/e3/e936.abstract
AB This case report describes the care of a 75-year-old gentleman with metastatic head and neck cancer who was highly symptomatic with intractable tenacious oropharyngeal secretions. The patient reported subjective benefit from oral atenolol. A literature review was undertaken and identified no previous studies on the use of β-blockers for secretions in malignant disease, although some anecdotal evidence for their use in motor neuron disease. The proposed underlying mechanism is that β1-blockade reduced the protein content of salivary secretions, hence reducing its viscosity. Further studies of both the role of β-adrenoreceptors in the control of secretion viscosity and the potential role of β-blockers in alleviating symptomatic tenacious secretions are warranted.