Author: Alex Thompson
Propranolol: 7 things you should know
Some products have ingredients that could raise your heart rate or blood pressure. Tell your pharmacist what products you are using, and ask how to use them safely (especially cough-and-cold products, diet aids, or NSAIDs such as ibuprofen/naproxen). Do not treat yourself for coughs, colds, or pain while you are using this medication without asking your care team for advice. It only blocks beta-1, while propranolol blocks beta-1 and beta-2. This can make it less likely that a person will experience side effects from taking metoprolol, and many have reported that side effects tend to be mild.
Alcohol can increase levels of propranolol in your body. The way that this drug works to lower blood pressure is not clearly understood. It reduces the workload of the heart and blocks the release of a substance called renin from the kidneys. This medication can slow down the removal of other medications from your body, which may affect how they work.
What drugs and food should I avoid while taking Inderal (Propranolol)?
Whether propranolol affects long-term memory is unknown. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. If you have high blood pressure, keep using this medicine even if you feel well. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.
Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you can do it safely. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana (cannabis). Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor, usually 2 to 4 times daily.
Their doctor can help determine if there are alternatives or can advise a person to stop taking other medications if needed. These combined studies indicate that propranolol may play an effective role in helping people with PTSD. Negative emotions play a role in mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Propranolol is not approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in patients with anxiety. Propranolol has been studied for anxiety, but right now there is not enough evidence to support its use. More clinical studies are needed to determine whether propranolol is a safe and effective drug for treating any anxiety disorder. Your condition may get worse if you stop using propranolol suddenly. Your child’s dose may change if the child gains or loses weight. Talk to your care team about the use of this medication in children.
It works by lowering your blood pressure and heart rate, making it easier for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body. It works by relaxing the blood vessels in the brain that cause migraines. It belongs to a group of medications called beta blockers. High blood pressure is a common condition and when not treated, can cause damage to the brain, heart, blood vessels, kidneys and other parts of the body.
You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. If you develop these symptoms, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Use Inderal (Propranolol) exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor.
Adverse effects
It works by preventing hormones, specifically beta-1 and beta-2, from interacting with the heart. By blocking these hormone receptors, beta-blockers, such as propranolol, help to slow down the heart. People taking propranolol should also avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen.
- To reduce the risk of dizziness and lightheadedness, get up slowly when rising from a sitting or lying position.
- You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital.
- When taken with warfarin (Jantoven), propranolol can increase the amount of warfarin in your body.
- This medicine also should not be used in babies who weigh less than 4.4 pounds.
The doctor can help to decide which drug is best and monitor the person’s heart rate in order to adjust the levels of each drug as needed. Taking cimetidine (Tagamet HB) with propranolol can increase the levels of propranolol in your blood. Propranolol oral tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works.
More About Drugs and Medications
Your doctor will watch you carefully and will probably tell you to avoid physical activity during this time. Propranolol is a non-selective beta receptor antagonist.[60] This means that it does not have preference to β1 or β2 receptors. It competes with sympathomimetic neurotransmitters for binding to receptors, which inhibits sympathetic stimulation of the heart.
Overall rating for Inderal (Propranolol)
There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Examples of alternatives for the conditions propranolol treats are listed below. Not all of the alternatives available for treating the same conditions as propranolol are included. Talk with your doctor about other drug options that may work for you.
What should I avoid while taking propranolol?
Propranolol may cause vivid dreams and is not usually recommended for people with pre-existing breathing difficulties. Propranolol was inspired by the early β-adrenergic antagonists dichloroisoprenaline and pronethalol. This also apparently eliminated the carcinogenicity found with pronethalol in animal models.
It takes close to 5 half-lives (or 15 to 30 hours) for this drug to be fully eliminated. Stopping propranolol suddenly may make your health condition worse or cause serious side effects, so contact your doctor before stopping treatment. Doctors may prescribe propranolol and metoprolol to treat similar conditions, such as angina, hypertension, and heart attacks. They also share similar warnings, side effects, and interactions. If you’ve had severe allergic reactions to other substances that can cause anaphylaxis, your allergies may be more reactive when you take propranolol.