Inderal Used for Depression

Inderal is not a drug commonly associated with the treatment of depression. In fact, Inderal, which is frequently prescribed to treat anxiety disorder, may actually cause depression as a side effect.

Inderal

• Inderal is the brand name of a drug called propranolol. According to Drugs.com, Inderal is most commonly prescribed for the treatment of angina and hypertension, as well as to reduce migraine headaches and prevent heart attacks.

Definition

• According to RxList.com, Inderal is a beta-blocker, which means that it blocks the effects of the neurotransmitters epinephrine and norepiephrine.

Anxiety

• According to HelpGuide.org, beta-blockers may be prescribed as an alternative to benzodiazepines to treat some types of anxiety disorder.

Side Effects

• According to Drugs.com, side effects associated with Inderal include depression and confusion. However, research conducted by a team from the Yale University School of Medicine and published in 2002 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, concludes there is no increased risk of depression with the use of Inderal.

Depression

• Depression is generally treated with an antidepressant drug. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Prozac and Zoloft, are common antidepressants.