Anxiety Medication Overview of Inderal

Inderal, known generically as propranolol, is a beta blocker that has been in use since the 1960s. Like other beta blockers, it was developed to treat heart issues like hypertension, angina, and arrhythmias, but it is also often prescribed to treat symptoms of anxiety.

Inderal is particularly useful for people with social anxiety disorder (SAD), because it prevents norepinephrine from binding to beta receptors, thereby blocking anxiety symptoms related to the flight-or-fight response (such as increased heart rate, sweating, hyperventilation, increased blood pressure, and tremor). Inderal, like all beta blockers, does not do anything for the psychological symptoms of anxiety.

Inderal is good for specific anxiety-inducing situations, such as giving a speech or performance. In these situations, physical symptoms of anxiety can interfere and make psychological symptoms even worse. The typical dosage of Inderal for anxiety symptoms is 5 to 40 mg to be taken 30 to 90 minutes before the performance or event.

Larger doses present a greater likelihood of side effects, which may include dizziness, low blood pressure, rash, slowed heart rate, fatigue, changes in mood, sexual side effects, trouble sleeping and a number of others. People who take Inderal for anxiety may not experience many side effects, since they generally will take it only on specific occasions, rather than daily.

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