Propranolol & Autism

[Chrismander]

I've seen two patients so far with autism who were on propranolol. My attendings were kind of surprised by it and mentioned they didn't see it used that way very much. One of these patients had been on it for nearly 20 years (started when he was 5) and his mother swore it was life-changing and the reason he was so high functioning.

I wasn't able to find much on a cursory pubmed search--four articles for "propranolol autism" none RCT. Got more for "propranolol aggression" but only a few RCTs and not too many recent articles.

Do any of you have direct experience putting patients on propranolol for a psychiatric disorder?

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[Faebinder]

Are you sure it was for autism and not for things like chronic migrane?

 

[Chrismander]

Are you sure it was for autism and not for things like chronic migrane?

Yeah definitely for autism, or probably more specifically for his aggression.

 

[Shalom77]

I've read comments by physicians who use this and read about one doctor's treatment philosophy on the website listed below, but have no personal experience treating autism.

http://madisondoctrine.com/autism.html

Beta-blockers are used to help control aggression after traumatic brain injury though.

 

[Anasazi23]

I've seen it used in the child unit quite frequently or generalized behavioral disturbance that was not as responsive to neuroleptics or other pharmacological interventions. Also used as an adjunct in these patients.

 

[michaelrack]

Beta-blockers are used to help control aggression after traumatic brain injury though.

Also used in mental ******ation. I've heard that high doses are needed, though.

Interesting that the wide spectrum of anti-adrenergics are used in psychiatry. In addition to the beta blockers we have been discussing, alpha-1 blockers are used in PTSD. Alpha 2 agonists (clonidine) are used in ADHD and some of the developmental disorders.

 

[BabyPsychDoc]

Also used in mental ******ation. I've heard that high doses are needed, though.

Interesting that the wide spectrum of anti-adrenergics are used in psychiatry. In addition to the beta blockers we have been discussing, alpha-1 blockers are used in PTSD. Alpha 2 agonists (clonidine) are used in ADHD and some of the developmental disorders.

In addition to these, alpha-2 blocker mirtazapine comes to mind.