TREATING ESSENTIAL TREMOR

There are a number of medications that can be used for the treatment of ET. These medications are listed below.

Propranolol (Inderal) - Propranolol is a drug that is known as a beta-adrenergic blocker. This drug is commonly used for the treatment of high blood pressure and in patients with heart disease to slow down the heart rate. The response of ET to propranolol is quite variable. Approximately 50% to 70% of patients will obtain some reduction in tremor, but complete suppression of the tremor is rare. The major effect of propranolol is to reduce the amplitude of the tremor; the frequency remains relatively unaffected. The average reduction in tremor is around 50%. Some patients do not respond to propranolol and the drug is often not well-tolerated in older patients.

Primidone (Mysoline) - Primidone is a medication related to phenobarbital that is primarily used to treat seizures or epilepsy. It is considered a first-line drug for the treatment of ET. The response rates to primidone are variable, ranging from 60% to 100%.

Other second-line drugs that have also been used for the treatment of ET are listed below

It is important to remember that all medications can side effects. Sometimes the degree of benefit is such that mild side effects are tolerable. Furthermore, some of the medications listed above may not be appropriate for some persons with other types of medical problems. The best drug or combination of drugs should be determined by a physician familiar with these medications and their side effects.