From the Guidelines
The half-life of Propranolol is approximately 3-6 hours.
Half-life Details
- The half-life of Propranolol can vary depending on the administration route, with an intravenous (IV) half-life of 2.4 hours and an oral half-life of 3-6 hours 1.
- The extended-release (ER) formulation of Propranolol has a longer half-life, ranging from 8-20 hours 1.
- In the context of extracorporeal treatment, the half-life of Propranolol has been reported to be around 5.63 hours during hemoperfusion (HP) and 3.42 hours during hemodialysis (HD) 1.
Clinical Considerations
- Propranolol's half-life is an important consideration in clinical practice, particularly when managing patients with atrial fibrillation or other conditions requiring rate control 1.
- The pharmacokinetics of Propranolol, including its half-life, can influence the dosing regimen and frequency of administration 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
The apparent plasma half-life is about 10 hours In a study of 12 elderly (62 to 79 years old) and 12 young (25 to 33 years old) healthy subjects, the clearance of S-enantiomer of propranolol was decreased in the elderly. Additionally, the half-life of both the R- and S-propranolol were prolonged in the elderly compared with the young (11 hours vs. 5 hours) Studies have reported a delayed absorption rate and a reduced half-life of propranolol in patients with renal failure of varying severity
The half-life of Propranolol is approximately 10 hours in the general population, but it can be prolonged in the elderly (up to 11 hours) and reduced in patients with renal failure 2.
From the Research
Half-Life of Propranolol
The half-life of propranolol varies depending on several factors, including the route of administration, duration of administration, and individual patient characteristics.
- The terminal half-life of propranolol after oral administration is reported to be around 3-6 hours 3.
- In one study, the elimination half-life of propranolol was found to be 3.9 +/- 0.5 hours after conventional propranolol administration 4.
- Another study reported a terminal half-life of 8 to 11 hours for long-acting propranolol, which is a sustained release formulation of propranolol 5.
- The half-life of propranolol can also be affected by factors such as age, with one study finding that the terminal half-life was similar in elderly and young subjects after oral propranolol, but significantly shorter in young subjects after intravenous dosing 6.
Factors Affecting Half-Life
Several factors can affect the half-life of propranolol, including:
- Route of administration: The half-life of propranolol can vary depending on whether it is administered orally or intravenously 3.
- Duration of administration: The half-life of propranolol can increase with continued administration, as the avid removal process becomes saturated and extraction ratio falls 3.
- Individual patient characteristics: There can be significant individual variation in the half-life of propranolol, with one study finding a 20-fold variation in plasma levels after chronic administration of the same oral dose to different patients 3.
- Age: Age can affect the pharmacokinetics of propranolol, with one study finding that the terminal half-life was similar in elderly and young subjects after oral propranolol, but significantly shorter in young subjects after intravenous dosing 6.