Study highlights use of beta blockers by dental students

Fraser Macdonald, Dental Tribune International

Wed. 11 June 2025

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AMMAN, Jordan: The rite of passage through university education into the professional world is one that for many students is fraught with tension. Psychological pressure to succeed, whether internally or externally induced, may have a seriously detrimental effect on a student’s well-being, leading to anxiety, depression and prolonged stress. A new study by researchers at the University of Jordan in Amman has shown that, while some students may seek physical activity and a healthy diet to redress their situation, some take a chemical route.

Conducted in December 2024, the cross‑sectional survey included 584 students, 418 in medicine and 166 in dentistry, and explored their patterns of propranolol use, side effects experienced, motives and awareness of potential risks. The study, led by Dr Hana Taha, associate professor of global public health, found that 9.9% of medical and dental undergraduates self-medicate with propranolol—a non-selective beta-blocker—primarily to manage examination-related anxiety. They largely accessed the drug without prescription directly from a pharmacy, friends or family members, and its use was mainly recommended to them by friends and peers. Despite 74.1% expressing awareness of the dangers of unsupervised use, 58.6% of users had taken the drug without a prescription.

The main motivations cited included anxiety reduction (65.5%) and examination stress relief (60.3 %), and 60.3% of users reported perceived academic improvement. However, 36.2% reported side effects such as dizziness and fatigue.

Similar studies in Saudi Arabia have reported even higher prevalence rates: 29.9% at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences and 22.4% at King Saud University, both in Riyadh.

Propranolol is widely used for hypertension, arrhythmias, migraine and hyperthyroidism. Although it crosses the blood–brain barrier and produces anxiolytic effects, it lacks approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for anxiety management.

The authors emphasised the urgent need for curriculum reforms to educate medical and dental students on the risks of beta‑blocker self-prescription. They also advocated for enhanced psychosocial support services to promote healthier stress management strategies.

What is next? The study’s limitations include reliance on convenience sampling from a single university, a cross-sectional design and potential for self-report bias. Nonetheless, it highlights a concerning trend in self-medication, pointing to the need for prospective, multi-institutional research.

The study, titled “Inappropriate use of propranolol among medical and dental students at the University of Jordan: Cross-sectional study," was published online on 9 May 2025 in Frontiers in Medicine.

Topics:

General Dentistry

Tags:

Beta blockers Dental education Dental students Jordan Stress

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