New Guidelines List Anti-Tremor Drugs

[Cheeky Bastard]

THURSDAY, June 23 (HealthDay News) -- Certain drugs normally used to control
seizures or high blood pressure can also help treat a common condition
called essential tremor, according to a new practice guideline from the
American Academy of Neurology.

"Though the tremors do not completely disappear with [drug] treatment, they
can be managed, making a huge difference in the daily lives of people with
essential tremor," guideline author Dr. Theresa Zesiewicz, an associate
professor of neurology at the University of South Florida in Tampa, said in
a prepared statement.

The new advisory was released online Wednesday in the journal Neurology and
will appear in the June 28 print issue of the journal.

Essential tremor, which affects the hands, head and voice, is three times
more common than Parkinson's disease. The condition can cause uncontrollable
shaking and interfere with normal daily activities such as getting dressed,
eating and drinking. Tremors can begin in early adulthood and become more
severe as a person grows older.

The new guideline stems from an expert panel review of 211 articles. The
drugs propranolol, long-acting propranolol, and primidone were all found to
significantly reduce limb tremors and are strongly recommended in the
guideline.

Propranolol is used to treat high blood pressure and primidone is an
anti-seizure medication. They may be used alone for limb tremors or in
combination if necessary, according to the guideline. Propranolol can also
be used for head tremors.

Other drugs that can be used for limb tremors include the blood pressure
drugs sotalol or atenolol and the anti-seizure drugs gabapentin and
topiramate.

If drug treatment is ineffective for limb tremor, surgery may an option, the
experts add.

More information

We Move has more about essential tremor.

Copyright 2005 HealthDayNews, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Copyright © 2005 ABC News Internet Ventures

[MBV]

Primidone worked to eliminate my hand tremors, however, I had such
horrid nightmares that it wasn't worth staying on it. My tremors are
not all that bad as they only effect my hands which in turn makes
writing (and sometimes typing) hard to do.
It is interesting to see that there are other options if things were
to get more severe. I am already on Klonopin and Topomax which do
nothing for my hand tremors. Of course, that was not what they were
prescribed for. Thanks for the information.
Maureen