title: Is there a central nervous withdrawal syndrome associated with discontinuing long-term treatment with propranolol?
abstract: Thirty healthy volunteers were treated with beta-adrenoceptor blocking doses of long-acting propranolol for at least 28 days before being randomized to continue propranolol treatment, receive identical placebo under double-blind conditions, or discontinue all treatment. No evidence of a central nervous withdrawal syndrome occurred during the next 28 days as assessed by changes in psychomotor tests, rating scales, visual analogue scales, tremor recordings and melatonin excretion. Three subjects in the placebo withdrawal group but none in the propranolol group complained of insomnia for up to 14 days of the withdrawal period.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, St. Bartholomew's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: al-Qassab
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Cleeves
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: al-Sereiti
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Findley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hedges
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Silman
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010919:Placebos; D011433:Propranolol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D011433:Propranolol