Takaisin Tulosta

Beta-blockers for essential tremor

Evidence summaries
14.4.2006
Editors

Level of evidence: A

Propranolol is effective for essential tremor of the hands at least in the short term.

A topic in Clinical Evidence «Ferreira J, Sampaio C. Essential tremor. Clin Evid 2005 Jun;(13):1608-21. .»1 summarizes the results of 12 small (10–24 people) and brief (2–4 weeks) RCTs. Propranolol (most frequently), metoprolol, atenolol, pindolol, sotalol, nicardipine and placebo were compared with placebo. All RCTs found that propranolol improved symptoms compared with placebo (p<0.05). Four of the RCTs found that propranolol increased the proportion of people classified as "responders" (ARRs 69%, 80%, 64%, 32%). Small trials on other beta-blockers provided only weak evidence that beta-blockers other than propranolol are more effective than placebo.

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References

  1. Ferreira J, Sampaio C. Essential tremor. Clin Evid 2005 Jun;(13):1608-21. «PMID: 16135304»PubMed.