Propranolol

Excerpt

Propranolol can be used to ameliorate the sympathetic response in angina, tachyarrhythmias, prevention of acute ischemic attacks, migraine prophylaxis, and restless leg syndrome. Propranolol can be used in almost all cases if the desired result is to slow contractility and decrease a patient’s heart rate. Propranolol is also used off-label in a variety of other cases, for instance, in performance anxiety, which is a subset of social phobia, a psychiatric condition whose symptoms also include tachycardia, sweating, and flushing secondary to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. This activity examines the indications, dosing, contraindications, mechanism, and management of propranolol therapy by the interprofessional healthcare team.