Medical Questions & Answers

Question: What is the Inderal my doctor has prescribed for me used for? I always like to know about my medication, and several friends have told me they are on this drug, but for different reasons. Your advice would be appreciated.
Inderal (also known as propranolol) is one of the most interesting drugs in the pharmacopoeia as it can be used for an amazingly wide range of conditions. It has been available for more than 25 years so a great deal is known and understood about the drug.
Its uses include treatment of high blood pressure, control of irregular heartbeats, control of an overactive thyroid gland, control of fine tremors, prevention of migraines, prevention of heart attacks, control of anxiety in actors and examination candidates, prevention of angina and use in several other rare diseases and conditions. It is quite incredible that one drug can do so much. There are some people who should not use it though. They include asthmatics and diabetics, and in some forms of heart failure it must be used with caution.
Inderal is generally a very safe drug, and can be taken in very high doses if necessary. Side effects are uncommon but may include allergies, dizziness, nightmares, tiredness and impotence.

Question: Can people who have had stomach ulcers take aspirin? Can enteric-coated aspirin be used in these people?
Unfortunately it does not matter how you take aspirin, be it by tablet, in solution, coated with a substance that delays absorption (enteric-coated) or even as a rectal suppository. Once it is in the body, it may affect the balance between the acid in the stomach and the thick mucus that lines the stomach. The mucus protects the stomach from the concentrated hydrochloric acid that it contains, but if the production of mucus is reduced, or the mucus is less thick, the acid will penetrate through to the stomach wall and cause inflammation, pain and eventually an ulcer.
Many of the medications used to treat arthritis, including Indocid, Voltaren, Naprosyn, Brufen, Dolobid, Orudis, Feldene etc. act the same way as aspirin, and can affect the mucus lining of the stomach. Newer anti-arthritis medications such as Vioxx and Celebrex can sometimes be taken by some people with stomach ulcers.
The vast majority of people taking aspirin and anti-arthritis drugs suffer no side effects from them, but if you have a past history of stomach ulcers, it is wise to avoid these medications if at all possible. Paracetamol can be used as a substitute for aspirin, as it has no adverse effects on the stomach.

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