Help ? Anyone with info on beta blockers and Ace inhibitors?

[AngBthatsme]

OK does anyone know any other reason than bp that we do not give beta blockers and ace inhibitors together. At our hospital the pharmacy times them two hours apart. An old cardiac nurse asked me "why the betas and aces two hours apart, why not the betas and calcium channel blockers"? OK I said because of BP and so did pharmacy. We all know that our patients take them all together and dont space them. Of course when we a patient is taking them for the first time we would want to watch the bp closely.....but does anyone else know of any reason? Thanks :)

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

Funny, I have not noticed this trend at my hospital. Perhaps your pharmacy wants you to keep busy 'cause you have nothing better to do than push meds. Interesting though this question is. I know that if my blood pressure/heart rate are low; I'm more likely to hold the beta blocker and give the ace inhibitor. But, rarely are they staggered on the MAR.