Propranolol is not thought to be harmful during pregnancy, but it may affect your baby’s growth in later pregnancy. Discuss taking propranolol with your doctor or midwife as you may need extra scans to check your baby’s growth. Like all medicines, propranolol can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones. Keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines, vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements you are taking. Bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to the hospital. You should carry the list with you in case of emergencies.
Propranolol (Cardiovascular)
- Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients.
- Stop using propranolol and get help right away if you have any of the following symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.
- These are not all of the side effects that may occur.
- You may have to take high blood pressure medicine for the rest of your life.
- You’ll usually take it together with medicines to treat an overactive thyroid.
- Propranolol belongs to a group of medicines called beta blockers.
Blocking these receptors helps your heart beat more slowly. These effects can help your heart work better, lower blood pressure, and may reduce your risk for heart attack and stroke. This medicine may cause changes in your blood sugar levels. Also, this medicine may cover up signs of low blood sugar, including fast heartbeat and increase the risk for serious or prolonged hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Check with your doctor if you have these problems or if you notice a change in the results of your blood or urine sugar tests. Remember that this medicine will not cure your high blood pressure, but it does help control it.
Medicine safety
Measure the concentrated oral solution, Intensol™ with the dropper that comes with the package. You may mix the concentrated solution with water, juice, soda, applesauce, or pudding to make it easier to swallow, then take the mixture right away. Propranolol is also used to treat severe chest pain (angina), migraine headaches, or hypertrophic subaortic stenosis (thickened heart muscle). RxList does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Some people on propranolol say their sex drive goes down and some men find they cannot get an erection.
- Speak to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking it for more than a few months.
- Propranolol tablets come in strengths of 10mg, 40mg, 80mg or 160mg.
- For heart conditions or high blood pressure, propranolol can take up to a week to reach its full effect.
- This medicine may increase risk of stroke in PHACE syndrome patients with severe blood vessel problems in the brain.
- The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine.
Atenolol, metoprolol, timolol and nadolol are all beta blockers and they work well in preventing migraines. For heart conditions or high blood pressure, propranolol can take up to a week to reach its full effect. You may not feel any different but that does not mean it is not working. Your doctor may start you on a low dose of propranolol and gradually increase your dose to allow your body to adjust to the medication. Talk to your doctor about how you feel and about any symptoms you experience during this time.
If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor
Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not measure the right amount of medicine. Propranolol can help reduce your symptoms if you have too much thyroid hormone in your body (thyrotoxicosis). You’ll usually take it together with medicines to treat an overactive thyroid. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. This is not a list of all drugs or health problems that interact with this drug.
Possible Side Effects While Using This Medicine
If using propranolol oral solution for infantile hemangioma, give it with food or right after food. Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of propranolol capsules, extended-release capsules, and tablets in the pediatric population. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you’re unsure whether it’s safe for you to drive while taking propranolol. GOV.UK has more information on the law on drugs and driving.
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. Damage to these organs may cause heart disease, a heart attack, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, loss of vision, and other problems. In addition to taking medication, making lifestyle changes will also help to control your blood pressure. Propranolol is a non-selective beta receptor antagonist.75 This means that it does not have preference to β1 or β2 receptors.
However, this is not a common side effect and there is not enough evidence to say for sure that propranolol is causing it. If propranolol is not working for you and makes you sick (vomit) or have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Your doctor may advise you to stop taking propranolol before surgery. This is because propranolol can lower your blood pressure too much when it’s combined with some anaesthetics. The physical symptoms of anxiety are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain.
Propranolol is used alone or in combination with other medications to treat high blood pressure. Propranolol is also used to prevent angina (chest pain), migraine headaches, and to improve survival after a heart attack. Propranolol is in a class of medications called beta blockers. It works by relaxing blood vessels and slowing heart rate to improve blood flow and decrease blood pressure.
Propranolol (proe-PRAN-oh-lol)
Ask your pharmacist to recommend an appropriate measuring device. Propranolol may worsen existing heart failure or cause fluid buildup in your body. For individuals with underlying heart disease or heart damage, propranolol can potentially lead to Propranolol brands heart failure over time.
It’s not fully understood how propranolol prevents migraines. It may work by relaxing the blood vessels involved, or by reducing activity in the visual cortex. This is the part of the brain where migraines are believed to start. It can significantly slow your heart rate, cause dizziness, trembling and seizures or fits, and make it difficult to breathe. Most adults and children aged 12 and over can take propranolol.
There are some medicines that may affect the way propranolol works. For more information about how propranolol can affect you and your baby during pregnancy, visit the Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy (BUMPS) website. It’s important to treat your high blood pressure to keep you well. Breastfeeding will also benefit both you and your baby. If you’re trying to get pregnant or you’re already pregnant, talk to your doctor about the benefits and possible harms of taking propranolol.
Propranolol is a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, shaking (tremors), and other conditions. It is used after a heart attack to improve the chance of survival. It is also used to prevent migraine headaches and chest pain (angina). Lowering high blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems.
This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.
Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Do not interrupt or suddenly stop taking this medicine without first checking with your doctor. Your doctor may want you to gradually reduce the amount you are taking before stopping it completely. Some conditions may become worse when the medicine is stopped suddenly, which can be dangerous.