Oxprenolol is a non-selective beta blocker

Beta blocker

Beta blockers or beta-adrenergic blocking agents, beta-adrenergic antagonists, beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists or beta antagonists, are a class of drugs used for various indications. They are particularly for the management of cardiac arrhythmias, cardioprotection after myocardial infarction ,...

 with some intrinsic sympathomimetic

Sympathomimetic amine

Sympathomimetic drugs mimic the effects of transmitter substances of the sympathetic nervous system such as catecholamines, epinephrine , norepinephrine , dopamine, etc...

 activity. It is used for the treatment of angina pectoris, abnormal heart

Heart

The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...

 rhythms and high blood pressure.

Oxprenolol is a lipophilic

Lipophilic

Lipophilicity, , refers to the ability of a chemical compound to dissolve in fats, oils, lipids, and non-polar solvents such as hexane or toluene. These non-polar solvents are themselves lipophilic — the axiom that like dissolves like generally holds true...

 beta blocker which passes the blood-brain barrier

Blood-brain barrier

The blood–brain barrier is a separation of circulating blood and the brain extracellular fluid in the central nervous system . It occurs along all capillaries and consists of tight junctions around the capillaries that do not exist in normal circulation. Endothelial cells restrict the diffusion...

 more easily than water soluble beta blockers. As such, it is associated with a higher incidence of CNS

Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...

-related side effects than hydrophilic ligands such as atenolol, sotalol

Sotalol

Sotalol is a drug used in individuals with rhythm disturbances of the heart, and to treat hypertension in some individuals. It is a non-selective competitive β-adrenergic receptor blocker that also exhibits Class III antiarrhythmic properties by its inhibition of potassium channels...

 and nadolol

Nadolol

Nadolol is a non-selective beta blocker used in the treatment of high blood pressure, migraine headaches, and chest pain.-Pharmacology:...

.

General Practitioners may sometimes be confused by its contrary nature as a beta agonist, but oxprenolol is a potent beta-blocker and should not be administered to asthmatics under any circumstances due to their low beta levels as a result of depletion due to other asthma medication, and because it can cause irreversible; often fatal; airway failure and inflammation.