In this blog post, we are going to answer the question, “Can you stop Propranolol after a week?”. Propranolol is one of the most commonly prescribed beta-blockers which is used in the treatment of high blood pressure and management of cardiac health after myocardial infarction.

However, Propranolol should be used properly. This blog will cover the consequences of stopping Propranolol just after a week.

Can you stop Propranolol after a week?

No, it is not suitable to stop Propranolol just after a week. It is one of those beta-blockers which are associated with disturbing withdrawal effects when stopped abruptly.

However, if you start exhibiting the signs of an allergic reaction right after taking your first ever Propranolol dose, then you don’t have to continue the treatment and you can stop taking Propranolol right away.

However, it is advised to talk to your doctor first before you stop your med or change dosage frequency.

What are the consequences of stopping Propranolol after 1 week?

Stopping Propranolol just after a week can result in disturbing consequences. These include:

Propranolol withdrawal syndrome
Therapeutic failure
Chances of worsening of cardiac condition

Propranolol withdrawal syndrome

As stated earlier, Propranolol is one of those beta-blockers which are associated with disturbing withdrawal effects when stopped abruptly. If you discontinue using this med just after a week, you may suffer from some of the symptoms.

However, it varies greatly from person to person. Some people may not feel much, while others may get affected severely. It totally depends on how sensitive you are. It may not affect a normal person much because a week is not considered a long time, but our bodies work differently.

It is a known fact that whenever you start taking Propranolol or any other medication, it’s new for your body. Your body is not used to this foreign agent that can make chemical changes in it. This is why your body may take some time to adjust to the new med.

Once it does, it starts considering the medication as a part of its system. This effect happens at different rates in different individuals. Some people have an easy-going physiological makeup that adjusts to the med pretty quickly.

For such people, withdrawal symptoms can occur just after a week. People who take much longer than that to adjust may not suffer from withdrawal symptoms, but they will surely suffer from other consequences that we will discuss shortly.

If we talk about withdrawal symptoms, they are basically cardiac-related symptoms and may become extremely serious for a cardiac patient with an active disease. Some of the withdrawal symptoms include:

Abnormally high blood pressure
Worsen angina
Chest pain
Increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack)
Severe lightheadedness
Irritability
Anxiety and agitation

These symptoms, as stated earlier, can be nerve-racking for some people. Propranolol is known to have anxiolytic effects as well, which means the drug can actively control your anxiety. When you stop it suddenly, you may feel your anxiety levels getting higher and higher.

Make sure you stick to your medication if you wish to achieve your therapeutic goals. If you feel you have been impacted negatively by the drug, then consult your healthcare provider as soon as you can and discuss the safety and efficacy of Propranolol in your case.

Therapeutic failure

Therapeutic failure is another major concern when you stop your treatment with Propranolol halfway. Propranolol is prescribed for the following health conditions:

High blood pressure
Angina pectoris
Management of congestive heart failure
Arrhythmia or irregular heart beat
Myocardial infarction
Tachycardia
Coronary artery diseases
Glaucoma
Migraine
Anxiety
Essential tremors

As you can see, most of the conditions are cardiac in nature. If you stop your medicine after just a week, without even informing your doctor, it can lead to dangerous consequences. Heart conditions are not so easy and stable. It literally takes a second for a heart attack to occur.

A high intensity attack is enough to kill you right on the spot. In order to avoid such a situation, you have to look for ways to continue your treatment and you need to ask yourself why do you even want to stop using it just after a week?

Is it causing side effects? It is ruining your sleep? Is it making you miserable? What is it that makes you give up on this med just after a week?

If you can’t come up with a logical answer to your own question, then why would you even consider stopping a med that could manage your heart condition? Several surveys have revealed that people simply say that they can’t remember to take meds.

One day leads to another, and they just stop using the med this way. This is indeed an alarming situation and it has been a cause of heart attacks in the past as well.

Some other surveys revealed that people think that taking medications can actually worsen the condition, so they just stop using it, hoping their disease would just go away on its own. Don’t you think it sounds ridiculous? Your health should be your biggest concern.

These meds are not your enemies and there is a reason why healthcare providers prescribe them. They are not candies that you can just start or stop eating without any consequence.

Long story short, if you stop Propranolol just after a week, it will lead to therapeutic failure and your condition will definitely not get any better.

Chances of worsening of cardiac condition

This is the biggest consequence that you may face if you stop using Propranolol without a valid reason and without your doctor’s approval.

If you suffer from side effects, your doctor will suggest to you the most appropriate method to stop using Propranolol and will prescribe some other medication to keep your condition stable.

If you just randomly stop Propranolol, without having any alternate or backup, your cardiac condition can take a drastic turn. There is a reason why they say high blood pressure is a silent killer.

This is exactly why you should always stick to your doctor’s recommended doses and should take your meds properly.

How to ensure the proper use of Propranolol?

Make sure you use Propranolol as directed by your healthcare provider. This med may not be a good choice for everyone and it may not suit everyone. Some people have developed an allergic reaction right after taking their first ever Propranolol dose.

Such people can not continue taking this medicine and it is often switched to a safer one. Propranolol should be used cautiously in people with diabetes. This medication lowers your heart rate and blood pressure, which is why a diabetic patient fails to detect the low blood sugar levels.

Propranolol is contraindicated to be used in patients who suffer from chronic breathing illnesses, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Propranolol causes bronchoconstriction and makes the airways narrow.

People with asthma and COPD already live with breathing difficulty and this Propranolol bronchoconstriction can make their symptoms much more severe. It can also lead to hospitalisation. Propranolol should be used cautiously in pregnancy.

You should also ask your healthcare provider if you are trying to get pregnant as this drug may produce unwanted side effects. However, the intensity of these effects can vary from woman to woman.

Studies have indicated that Propranolol and other beta blockers can pass the placenta and act on the growing fetus, which is exactly why this medication is in Category C of pregnancy medications.

Studies have also revealed that Propranolol can pass into the breastmilk and it might cause unwanted effects in the breastfed babies. Make sure you ask your healthcare provider if the use of Propranolol is safe for your child during breastfeeding.

Several studies suggested that Propranolol should not be used in people who suffer from poor blood flow to several other body parts. This is because Propranolol can end up exacerbating the poor blood flow because the drug further lowers down the heart rate and blood pressure.

Conclusion

In this blog post, we have discussed the consequences of stopping Propranolol just after a week of its use. It is one of those beta-blockers which are associated with disturbing withdrawal effects when stopped abruptly.

However, it is advised to talk to your doctor first before you stop your med or change dosage frequency. Make sure you use Propranolol as directed by your healthcare provider.

This med may not be a good choice for everyone and it may not suit everyone. If you have been impacted negatively by the drug, you should talk to your healthcare provider.

FAQs: stopping propranolol after a week

How long does propranolol withdrawal syndrome last?

The time duration of Propranolol withdrawal can vary from person to person. Some people recover earlier than the others. In usual practice, Propranolol can stay in your system for about a day or two. Propranolol has a half-life of about 3-6 hours, which means that the concentration of the drug is reduced to half after this time period. After the drug is completely removed, it may take 10 to 15 days for the withdrawal symptoms to either go away or tone down a little.

Can you stop taking beta blockers after a week?

No, it is not suitable to stop beta-blockers just after a week. They are associated with disturbing withdrawal effects when stopped abruptly. However, if you start exhibiting the signs of an allergic reaction right after taking your first ever beta-blocker, then you don’t have to continue the treatment and you can stop taking the drug right away. However, it is advised to talk to your doctor first before you stop your med or change dosage frequency.

Can I stop propranolol suddenly?

No, you should not stop propranolol suddenly. It is one of those beta-blockers which are associated with disturbing withdrawal effects when stopped abruptly. If the drug causes an allergic response in you or some unbearable side effect, then consult your healthcare provider right away. Some of the withdrawal symptoms include:

Abnormally high blood pressure
Worsen angina
Chest pain
Increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack)
Severe lightheadedness
Irritability
Anxiety and agitation

How do you taper off propranolol?

The best way to taper off Propranolol is to talk to your healthcare provider. A proper taper schedule is different from everyone as your withdrawal journey depends on a lot of factors. If you have been taking Propranolol for quite a long time, then your doctor may slow down your taper schedule a little to make sure you won’t suffer from any withdrawal symptoms.

Does propranolol last all day?

Propranolol usually stays in your system for about a day or two. Propranolol has a half-life of about 3-6 hours, which means that the concentration of the drug is reduced to half after this time period. The remaining concentration is then further reduced to half after the next 3 to 6 hours. This process keeps on going until Propranolol is completely removed from your system.

References

NHS – Propranolol https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/propranolol/#:~:text=Stopping%20propranolol%20suddenly%20may%20make,heart%20rate%2C%20sweating%20and%20shaking.
S Nattel et al. Circulation. (1979) – Mechanism of propranolol withdrawal phenomena https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/436208/
R E Rangno et al. Am J Cardiol. (1982) – Prevention of propranolol withdrawal mechanism by prolonged small dose propranolol schedule https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6278914/

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