Classified as a beta-blocker, Inderal medication is used in treating chest pain or angina, high levels of blood pressure, irregular heartbeats, tremors, migraine headaches, and other conditions as diagnosed by your doctor. It works by blocking the actions of particular natural chemicals in the body that affect blood vessels and the heart. This results in lower heart rates, levels of blood pressure, and overall strain on the muscles of the heart. As high blood pressure is lowered, this helps in preventing heart attacks, strokes, as well as kidney problems. Aside from those functions, Inderal medication is also administered after an acute heart attack to improve chances of survival.

Taking inderal

Take Inderal only as instructed by your doctor. To get the most benefit from the medication, use it regularly. And as much as possible, at the same time every day. This medication is not effective when used at the time that chest pains or migraine headaches occur. As such, it is extremely important that you take Inderal regularly as directed in order to prevent these conditions from happening. Prescribed dosages are based on the condition of your health and response to treatment. It may take about one or two weeks before you feel the full effects of the medication.

Side effects

As with any medication, seek emergency medical aid if you experience any of sign of an allergic reaction such as hives, breathing difficulty, and swelling of the throat, tongue, lips, or face. Serious side effects associated with taking Inderal medication rarely occur but they, however, include: light-headedness, fainting, uneven or slow heartbeats, shortness of breath even with very little exertion, nausea, slight fever, stomach pains, loss of appetite, clay-colored stools, jaundice, swollen feet or ankles, depression, or feeling of coldness in the hands and feet. Less serious side effects, on the other hand, are more likely to be experienced. They include: sleeping problems, lack of energy, nervousness, anxiety, loss of sexual drive, difficulty in achieving orgasm, or impotence.

Who should not use inderal

Persons suffering from depression, anaphylactic shock because of allergy medication, myasthenia gravis, sinus bradycardia, complete or partial heart block, chronic heart failure (currently not under medication), occasional numbness, emphysema, prickling or tingling sensations in the toes and fingers, asthma, bronchspasm, liver problems, severe chronic obstructed disease of the lungs, kidney disease, diabetes, circulatory problems, or over-active thyroid gland should not use Inderal medication, as well as those using beta-adrenergic blocking agents.