How Long Does Propranolol Stay In The Body System?

Posted on Sun, 4 Sep 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 4 Sep 2016 Answered on

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : I have just been taken off of propranol and would like to know how long it takes to get out of your system. 20mg twice a day for about 4 months

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (38 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
9 to 30 hours for most to be eliminated

Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic

The half life of a drug is the time it takes for the level of a particular medication to decrease by half in the body.
It takes approximately 3 to 5 half lives for the majority of a medication to be eliminated from the body.

The half life of propanolol is 3 to 6 hours (reason that most persons take multiple doses, some need up to 3 times a day). This means that it may take 9 to 30 hours for most of the medication to be eliminated.

This can be affected by the use of other meds that may affect breakdown/elimination in the liver or kidney or by liver or kidney disease.

I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (10 minutes later)

Thank you. Ok, so if I have been taking it for several months-twice a day and have been off of it for 3 days am I to assume that it should be out of my system completely by now? I do take other medicines but had to stop this because I was having a reaction to it.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (6 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
yes, it should be gone

Detailed Answer:
HI

Yes, after 3 days it should be out of your system

Please feel free to ask anything else

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar