Skip to main content
PMC home page
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology logoLink to British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
. 1987 Dec;24(6):729–734. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1987.tb03238.x

The comparative effects of ICI 118551 and propranolol on essential tremor.

D Jefferson 1, H J Wharrad 1, A T Birmingham 1, J M Patrick 1
PMCID: PMC1386396  PMID: 2894217

Abstract

1. The effects of the selective beta 2-adrenoceptor antagonist ICI 118551 on essential tremor, heart rate and blood pressure were compared with those of propranolol. 2. ICI 118551 (150 mg daily for 7 days) and propranolol (120 mg daily for 7 days) were about equally effective in reducing essential tremor (by about 40%) and were more effective than placebo. 3. When compared with the effect of placebo, propranolol reduced blood pressure and exercise heart rate whereas ICI 118551 had no significant effect on blood pressure and produced a small but significant reduction in exercise-induced tachycardia. 4. ICI 118551 may be useful in the management of essential tremor while having fewer cardiovascular side-effects than non-selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonists.

Full text

PDF
730

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Abila B., Wilson J. F., Marshall R. W., Richens A. The tremorolytic action of beta-adrenoceptor blockers in essential, physiological and isoprenaline-induced tremor is mediated by beta-adrenoceptors located in a deep peripheral compartment. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1985 Oct;20(4):369–376. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1985.tb05079.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Arnold J. M., O'Connor P. C., Riddell J. G., Harron D. W., Shanks R. G., McDevitt D. G. Effects of the beta 2-adrenoceptor antagonist ICI 118,551 on exercise tachycardia and isoprenaline-induced beta-adrenoceptor responses in man. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1985 May;19(5):619–630. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1985.tb02689.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Birmingham A. T., Williams E. J., Wilson C. G., Wright P. W. Finger tremor in normal subjects [proceedings]. J Physiol. 1978 Mar;276:20P–21P. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bruce R. A. Methods of exercise testing. Step test, bicycle, treadmill, isometrics. Am J Cardiol. 1974 May 20;33(6):715–720. doi: 10.1016/0002-9149(74)90211-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Calzetti S., Findley L. J., Gresty M. A., Perucca E., Richens A. Metoprolol and propranolol in essential tremor: a double-blind, controlled study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 Sep;44(9):814–819. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.44.9.814. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Calzetti S., Findley L. J., Perucca E., Richens A. Controlled study of metoprolol and propranolol during prolonged administration in patients with essential tremor. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1982 Oct;45(10):893–897. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.45.10.893. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Dietrichson P., Espen E. Effects of timolol and atenolol on benign essential tremor: placebo-controlled studies based on quantitative tremor recording. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1981 Aug;44(8):677–683. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.44.8.677. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Gilligan B. S., Veale J. L., Wodak J. Propranolol in the treatment of tremor. Med J Aust. 1972 Feb 12;1(7):320–322. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1972.tb46801.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Jefferson D., Jenner P., Marsden C. D. beta-Adrenoreceptor antagonists in essential tremor. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1979 Oct;42(10):904–909. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.42.10.904. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Leigh P. N., Jefferson D., Twomey A., Marsden C. D. Beta-adrenoreceptor mechanisms in essential tremor; a double-blind placebo controlled trial of metoprolol, sotalol and atenolol. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1983 Aug;46(8):710–715. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.46.8.710. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Marsden C. D., Foley T. H., Owen D. A., McAllister R. G. Peripheral beta-adrenergic receptors concerned with tremor. Clin Sci. 1967 Aug;33(1):53–65. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. McDevitt D. G. The assessment of beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs in man. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1977 Aug;4(4):413–425. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1977.tb00756.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. O'Donnell S. R., Wanstall J. C. Evidence that ICI 118, 551 is a potent, highly Beta 2-selective adrenoceptor antagonist and can be used to characterize Beta-adrenoceptor populations in tissues. Life Sci. 1980 Aug 25;27(8):671–677. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(80)90008-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Patrick J. M., Wharrad H. J., Wilson C. G., Birmingham A. T. The effect of a week's beta-adrenoceptor antagonism on daytime heart-rates, subjective responses to exercise, and physical activity in normal subjects. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1985 Feb;19(2):177–185. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1985.tb02629.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Pearson S. B., Banks D. C., Patrick J. M. The effect of beta-adrenoceptor blockade on factors affecting exercise tolerance in normal man. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1979 Aug;8(2):143–148. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1979.tb05812.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Tattersfield A. E., Cragg D. J. Effect of ICI 118551 on bronchial beta-adrenoceptor function and exercise heart rate in normal man. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 1983 Dec;16(6):587–590. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1983.tb02226.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Twentyman O. P., Disley A., Gribbin H. R., Alberti K. G., Tattersfield A. E. Effect of beta-adrenergic blockade on respiratory and metabolic responses to exercise. J Appl Physiol Respir Environ Exerc Physiol. 1981 Oct;51(4):788–793. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1981.51.4.788. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Winkler G. F., Young R. R. Efficacy of chronic propranolol therapy in action tremors of the familial, senile or essential varieties. N Engl J Med. 1974 May 2;290(18):984–988. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197405022901802. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology are provided here courtesy of British Pharmacological Society

RESOURCES