Propranolol is a beta blocker used to treat high blood pressure and migraine headaches, as well as other health problems. It was developed in the 1950s by James W. Black and carries some risks, including accelerating the onset of diabetes and masking symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Physicians should be informed of any pre-existing health conditions before prescribing the drug.
Propranolol is one of several popular beta blockers currently on the market. While the drug is usually associated with the relief of high blood pressure, propranolol is also often employed as a prophylactic for the management of migraine headaches, primarily in children. In the form of propranolol hydrochloride, the drug is marketed under numerous brand names worldwide.
The development of propranolol occurred during the decade of the 1950s. Imagined and developed by James W. Black, the new beta-blocker was created by deriving elements from dichloroisoprenaline and pronethalol, two well-established adrenergic antagonists. Black would later win a Nobel Prize in Medicine in recognition of his pioneering work in creating the drug.
Along with use in the treatment of high blood pressure, propranolol can be used independently or in combination with other medications to treat a variety of health problems. The drug is useful in managing angina pectoris, as well as helping in situations where anxiety and problems with the thyroid gland lead to severe tremors. Propranolol has also been shown to be effective in treating glaucoma. There is some evidence that the drug may also help relieve symptoms associated with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSB), although this condition is not currently widely accepted by the medical community.
While propranolol is effective in a number of treatments for health ailments, it carries some of the same risks associated with most beta blockers. The drug can accelerate the onset of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in some users. There is also some indication that the success rate of propranolol and beta blockers in general is higher when used to treat younger people; effectiveness appears to decrease when used as a treatment regimen for older people.
Along with the potential to accelerate the development of diabetes, propranolol may also mask some of the symptoms of hyperthyroidism, making diagnosis more difficult. In situations where the patient has myasthenia gravis, the use of propranolol to treat hypertension can increase the rate of disease progression. Physicians should be told of any pre-existing health conditions before using propranolol. If your doctor determines that the risk of taking propranolol isn’t worth the degree of benefit you would get from the drug, you may substitute another drug.
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