• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Health Hearty

Health Hearty

  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Articles

Propranolol Side Effects

Propranolol is a drug that is commonly used to treat high blood pressure. Like all other medications though, propranolol too has its side effects. This article explores some of the known problems of introducing propranolol into the human body.

Home / General Health / Propranolol Side Effects
Propranolol Side Effects

Propranolol is a drug that is commonly used to treat high blood pressure. Like all other medications though, propranolol too has its side effects. This article explores some of the known problems of introducing propranolol into the human body.

Propranolol is a medicine that falls in a class of drugs known as beta-blockers, and it is primarily used for the treatment of hypertension, or high blood pressure. Like any other class of medication, propranolol too has its side effects, especially if the drug does not suit the body type of a certain person. They are quite commonly seen, and if the injection of this drug coincides with some other condition, like pregnancy, asthma, diabetes, or phaeochromocytoma, then the resulting complexities can be quite difficult to deal with.

Propranolol is usually used either alone, or in combination with some other drugs and medications to treat cases of high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, angina, chest pain related to coronary artery disease, migraines and thyrotoxicosis. A drug that treats so many ailments will obviously have some side effects on certain people. They are not a rare occurrence, and as a result, the dosage of this drug is carried out after careful examination of the patient, and only by a qualified and experienced doctor.

Beta-Blocker Drugs

Would you like to write for us? Well, we're looking for good writers who want to spread the word. Get in touch with us and we'll talk...

Let's Work Together!

Beta-adrenergic blocking agents, or beta blockers, is a class of drugs that blocks the action of some parts of the involuntary nervous system of the human body. The sympathetic nervous system is a major component of the involuntary nervous system, and it controls the rate at which the heart beats. Beta-blockers can block the actions of these nerves and thus, lower the heart rate of a person. Beta-blockers also contribute towards reducing the oxygen demand by the heart muscles. Falling in this category of beta-blockers, propranolol lowers the heart rate and offers the many advantages that this brings.

Lowering the heart rate is not always a wise move though. Sudden and extreme reductions in the beating of the heart can cause a variety of problems, and all the dangers stem from this very problem. This is the reason why the intake of this medication must be highly regulated, and only is to be used on the advice and prescription of a qualified doctor.

Known Side Effects of Propranolol

As is common to most beta blockers, the obvious advantages and benefits of the drug usually mask the potentially dangerous side effects that can really take a toll on the body. One must be careful while taking this drug, and if any issues do crop up as a consequence, a doctor must be consulted immediately. Cardiac arrests are a very real possibility as a direct result of injecting this drug in the system, so all necessary care must be taken so as to ensure treatment is received as soon as possible.

For most people, the side effects are simply mild symptoms that are easily treatable and cause no serious damage in the long run. Minor issues with propranolol are given below:

  • Diarrhea or constipation
  • Abdominal craps and nausea
  • Slow heart rate and low blood pressure
  • Abnormal heartbeat rates which can cause severe complications
  • Swelling up of hands and feet
  • Difficulty in breathing and constant wheezing
  • Numbness and tingling in limbs
  • Unexpected allergic reactions
  • Swelling up and blistering of skin
  • Impotence and fever
  • Insomnia and fatigue

Apart from these, there are a few more effects that tend to affect the psyche of an individual more, and can cause greater havoc.

  • Weight gain: The cardiac complications that accompany this drug can sometimes also lead to unnatural and sudden weight gain in some people.
  • Depression: As a result of insomnia, propranolol can cause severe depression in a person. Related side effects are memory loss, vivid dreams, and hallucinations.
  • Anxiety: Along with depression, the drug can also end up causing extreme anxiety in an individual. This is again a result of the combining factors of insomnia, a slowed heartbeat, and extreme fatigue.
  • Hair loss: This is another commonly seen side effect of the drug.
  • Hypoglycemia: Though this is not a direct result of the intake of propranolol, the drug does mask the effects of this condition. Low blood sugar levels are dangerous for people suffering from diabetes, so they need to be very cautious about how much propranolol they introduce in their body.
  • Pregnancy problems: It has been observed that if pregnant women have too much intake in their expecting state, the child may suffer from abnormalities, growth retardation, low blood pressure or respiratory problems.
  • Heart problems: People with a history of chronic heart issues will suffer some unforeseen complexities due to the drug. This can lead to sudden cases of heart failure and worsening of the condition known as angina.

Another thing to keep in mind for people taking this drug is not to suddenly stop its intake without talking to a doctor. The sudden increase in the heart rate could prove very harmful in some cases. Any other dietary advice given by the doctor must also be rigidly followed at all costs, also regularly visiting the doctor is a must.

The mixed variety and occasional seriousness of these side effects ensures that all words of the doctor be followed to the tee, and it also calls for regular visits to the specialist. If any signs or symptoms do crop up, it must be brought to the doctor’s attention immediately as failure to do so will only complicate matters further, and one may end up paying a very heavy price for it.

Like it? Share it!

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
« Previous Post
Next Post »

Category iconGeneral Health

Get Updates Right to Your Inbox

Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)...right to your inbox.
Blog Updates

Further Insights

">heart health EKG
">The Facts About Women’s Heart Health
July 27, 2020
">coconuts
">The Many Benefits of Coconut Oil
May 10, 2020
">probiotic compound
">Probiotics: Dynamic Immunity Protection
May 10, 2020

Primary Sidebar

Search

Latest Articles

recipe in a book

Paleo Recipes That Make Following the Plan a Breeze

whole30 foods on a plate

Whole30 Lunch: Easy Ideas to Keep You on Track

Man with blue light on his face from a computer

What are the Real Blue Light Effects on Our Bodies?

AIP health stethoscope

How are AIP and Paleo Related?

Exploring the website?

Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there!

Footer

We hope you are enjoying HealthHearty! We offer the latest information for being the best, most healthy “you” you can be, covering areas ranging from nutrition and exercise to sleep and stress management.
  • Facebook
  • RSS

Copyright © Health Hearty & Buzzle.com, Inc.
6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsAccept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.