Clinical and computer-based assessment of long-term therapeutic efficacy of propranolol in essential tremor.
Despite a large number of studies demonstrating the effectiveness of propranolol in relieving essential tremor (ET) the long-term therapeutic outcome of these patients remains poorly defined. The results of a one-year follow-up study in 18 patients with mild to severe ET performed by using clinical and computer-based methods of assessment indicate that the initial therapeutic benefit of propranolol is apparently retained. However, following 3-6 months of sustained treatment a proportion of patients required an increase in daily dosage of propranolol in order to maintain adequate symptomatic control of tremor, indicating a relative decrease in tremorolytic efficacy of the drug possibly due to long-term tolerance.
Calzetti
S
S
Institute of Neurology, University of Parma, Italy.
Sasso
E
E
Baratti
M
M
Fava
R
R
D000368:Aged; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D001330:Electronic Data Processing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011433:Propranolol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014202:Tremor / Q000188:drug therapy*
D011433:Propranolol