Propranolol
About
Propranolol belongs to a group of medicines called beta-blockers used alone or together with other medicines to treat high blood pressure (hypertension), heart-related chest pain (angina), heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia) and preventing symptoms of migraine headache and tremors (fits). It affects our heart and blood circulatory system, especially controlling blood through arteries and veins. High blood pressure adds to the workload of the heart and arteries. If it continues for a long time, the heart and arteries may not function properly. This can damage the blood vessels of the brain, heart and kidneys, resulting in a stroke, heart failure, or kidney failure. Lowering blood pressure may reduce the risk of stroke and heart attacks.
Propranolol plays a vital role in relaxing our blood vessels by blocking the action of certain natural substances in your body. This lowers your blood pressure and helps reduce your risk of a stroke, a heart attack, other heart problems or kidney problems in the future. This medicine needs to be taken regularly to be effective.
You can take Propranolol orally with or without food or as directed by your physician. Swallow the whole tablet with a glass of water. Do not crush, chew or break it. Propranolol is preferable to take at the same time every day for better results. Propranolol is generally safe to consume. You may have common side effects like feeling dizzy or exhausted, cold hands or feet, difficulty sleeping, and nightmares. These side effects are usually mild and short-lived. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor.
Don't stop taking Propranolol without talking to your doctor first. Stopping Propranolol gradually may cause heart rhythm and blood pressure changes and cause chest pain or a heart attack. Your doctor will lower your dose gradually over some time to help prevent these symptoms. You should not use Propranolol if you have a very slow heartbeat, asthma, serious heart condition (sick sinus syndrome) or any heart blockage. Children weighing less than 4.5 pounds should not be given a Propranolol. It should not be given to children less than 12 years of age. Before taking Propranolol, you should tell the doctor if you have any muscle disorder (myasthenia gravis, rhabdomyolysis), breathing problems (COPD, bronchitis, emphysema), low blood sugar level (hypoglycaemia), low blood pressure (hypotension), depression, previous heart failure, liver/kidney disease, thyroid hormone disorder, adrenal gland cancer or problems with circulation (Raynaud's syndrome).
Uses of Propranolol
Medicinal Benefits
Propranolol works by blocking both beta receptors, namely beta 1 and beta 2. Propranolol blocks beta 1 receptor located in the heart's cells, lowering heart rate and decreasing heart blood pumping frequency, decreasing raised blood pressure. On the other hand, Propranolol also blocks beta 2 receptors located in the lungs (bronchioles) and blood vessels of skeletal muscle, narrowing it. This, in turn, lowers your overall body's blood pressure and helps reduce the risk of a stroke, a heart attack, heart problems or kidney problems in the future. Propranolol also improves the symptoms of heart-related chest pain (angina) and may increase a person's stamina to do exercise with angina. Propranolol is used in combination with thiazide diuretics and other medicines to treat high blood pressure. Additionally, Propranolol reduces symptoms of essential tremor (fits) and prevents migraine. Propranolol can reduce symptoms of too much thyroid hormone (thyrotoxicosis) and can be taken together with thyroid-related medicines to treat an overactive thyroid.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Propranolol
- Headaches
- Feeling tired, dizzy or weak
- Cold fingers or toes
- Feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach pain
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Propranolol should not be used in the cardiogenic shock (heart unable to pump sufficient blood) and heart failure condition. Don't stop taking $ name without talking to your doctor first. Stopping Propranolol gradually may cause heart rhythm and blood pressure changes and cause chest pain or a heart attack. Your doctor will lower your dose gradually over some time to help prevent these symptoms. You should not use Propranolol if you have a very slow heartbeat, asthma, serious heart condition (sick sinus syndrome) or any heart blockage. Children weighing less than 4.5 pounds should not be given a Propranolol. It should not be given to children less than 12 years of age. Before taking Propranolol, you should tell the doctor if you have any muscle disorder (myasthenia gravis, rhabdomyolysis), breathing problems (COPD, bronchitis, emphysema), low blood sugar level (hypoglycaemia), low blood pressure (hypotension), depression, previous heart failure, liver/kidney disease, thyroid hormone disorder, adrenal gland cancer or problems with circulation (Raynaud's syndrome). You should avoid discontinuing the use of Propranolol before undergoing any surgery. Intake of Propranolol may mask symptoms of diabetes. So tell your doctor if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. It may also worsen your symptoms of congestive heart failure and bradycardia (slow heart rate less than 60). You should regularly monitor your prothrombin time if Propranolol is taken with anti-coagulants like warfarin.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Propranolol may interact with other beta-blockers (acebutolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, carteolol, esmolol, metoprolol, nadolol, nebivolol or sotalol) causing a dangerous drop in the heart rate. Besides this, Propranolol should not be used with other blood pressure related medicines (lisinopril, enalapril, diltiazem, prazosin, terazosin, doxazosin), asthma medications (theophylline) or any other pain killers. If you are using these medicines tell your doctor before taking Propranolol.
Drug-Food Interactions: Propranolol severely interact with grapefruit and protein enriched foods. Using Propranolol together with ayurvedic, homeopathy, unani, herbal supplements or any other OTC items may decrease the effects of Propranolol. Hence, it is better to maintain at least 2 hours gap between the administration of Propranolol and these products.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Propranolol should not be given to the people with diabetes, thyroid disease, asthma, cardiogenic shock (when the heart fails to pump required blood to the body), heart valve problem (stenosis), low blood pressure (hypotension), coronary heart disease, liver disease or heart failure.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
cautionYou are recommended not to consume alcohol along with Propranolol to avoid unpleasant side-effect of low blood pressure causing dizziness or drowsiness.
Pregnancy
cautionPropranolol is not recommended during pregnancy unless your doctor considers it essential. Your doctor will weigh the benefits and any potential risks before prescribing it to you.
Breast Feeding
cautionSmall amounts of Propranolol passess into the breast milk. However which is not enough to cause any problems to your baby. But, still it is advisable to contact your doctor before breastfeeding your baby.
Driving
cautionPropranolol is unlikely to affect your ability to drive or to operate machinery. However, some people may occasionally feel dizzy or tired when taking Propranolol. If this happens to you, ask your doctor for advice.
Liver
cautionPropranolol to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of Liver diseases/conditions. Dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor.
Kidney
cautionPropranolol to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of Kidney diseases/conditions. Dose may have to be adjusted by your doctor.
Children
unsafeThe safety and efficacy of Propranolol in children have not been established. Propranolol is not recommended in children unless prescribed by a child specialist.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Keep your weight under control with a BMI of 19.5-24.9.
- Regular physical activity or exercise for at least 150 minutes per week or about 30 minutes most days of the week. Doing this can help lower your raised blood pressure by about 5 mm of Hg.
- Option for a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, veggies and low-fat dairy products.
- Limit sodium chloride (table salt) intake in your daily diet to 2300 mg per day or less than 1500 mg is ideal for most adults.
- If you are taking alcohol, then only one serving for women and two for men is advisable.
- Quitting smoking is the best strategy to lower the risk of heart disease.
- Avoid chronic stress as it can raise your blood pressure. Try to enjoy and spend time with your loved ones to cope with stress and practice mindfulness techniques.
- Monitor your blood pressure daily and if there is too much fluctuation, immediately contact your doctor.
- Including heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acid-containing food drinks in your daily diet. You can also use low-fat cooking oil like olive oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and coconut oil to help lower your elevated blood pressure.
Special Advise
- This product may also make it harder to control your blood sugar. Check your blood sugar regularly as directed and share the results with your doctor.
-
Tell a doctor straight away if you have shortness of breath with a cough which gets worse when you exercise (like walking upstairs), swollen ankles or legs, chest pain, or an irregular heartbeat – these are signs of heart problems.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Blood pressure: Blood pressure is the measurement of the force that our heart uses to pump blood to all parts of the body. Hypertension is a chronic condition when blood pressure and heart workload are too high. This condition can lead to hardened arteries (blood vessels), decreasing the blood and oxygen flow to the heart. Raised blood pressure can cause chest pain (angina) and heart attack (when blood supply to the heart is blocked). Additionally, high blood pressure also causes brain damage (stroke) and kidney failure. High blood pressure can be diagnosed with the help of a blood pressure monitor or sphygmomanometer. Systolic pressure is the pressure when the heart pumps blood out. On the other hand, diastolic pressure is the pressure when your heart is at the resting stage between heartbeats. If your blood pressure is 140/90 mm of Hg, it means the systolic pressure is 140 mm of Hg, and diastolic pressure is 90 mm of Hg. Ideal blood pressure should be between 90/60 mm and 120/80 mm Hg.
FAQs
Propranolol plays a vital role in relaxing our blood vessels by blocking the action of certain natural substances in your body. This lowers your blood pressure and helps reduce your risk of a stroke, a heart attack, other heart problems or kidney problems in the future.
It is advised to continue your medicine even after your blood pressure is under control or becomes normal as blood pressure can shot up any time. If you have any discomfort, please consult your doctor immediately.
Usually, Propranolol is prescribed for a long term treatment ranging from weeks to months for treating heart-related conditions and disorders. However, taking it on your own for years without a doctor's consent can be fatal. Hence, only take it as long as your doctor has prescribed it to you.
When you are taking a beta-blocker, your health care provider may recommend that you limit your consumption of bananas and other high potassium foods including papaya, tomato, avocado and kale.
If you forget to take Propranolol at any time, take it as soon as you remember, then continue to take it at the usual times. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
Your doctor may probably tell you to stop taking Propranolol as it lowers blood pressure when combined with general anesthesia before surgery. Inform your doctor about all the prescription and OTC drugs that you are using.
There is no clear cut clinical evidences that confirms Propranolol increase an individual's body weight. However it can affect your body use energy and make you tired. If you are worried about your weight gain you can speak to the doctor.
You should try to avoid or limit intake of Propranolol along with alcoholic beverages, as together intake can lower your blood pressure leading to dizziness or drowsiness.
No, it is a prescribed drug, given by a physician for preventing specific medical conditions. Taking it on your own can cause unwanted side-effects.
