Method Propranolol OD

[Sbetto]

I'll start by saying that I already have my method, which is SN, and I have everything I need except for propranolol. I'm not sure how I could get it prescribed, since I'm 25 and my blood pressure is normal. I was wondering: is a propranolol OD actually feasible?
I know that propranolol lowers blood pressure and regulates heart rate; I've read that taking too much can cause bradycardia (a slowing of the heartbeat). But in the case of an OD, isn't there a risk of cardiac arrest or something similar?
I don't know if this is a stupid question or if it's already been asked, either way, I'm sorry.

 

[Sbetto]

Up !

 

[SomewhatLoved]

Copypasting my response to someone else who intended to overdose using metoprolol, a similar medication. You can view the full thread here.

At least according to google, propanolol is x3 stronger than metoprolol regarding it's effects on the heart. It could be fatal, but it's hard to know. Depends on how much you take, whether your able to keep it down (consider taking antiemetics), and if you're found within a certain amount of time. Beta blocker overdoses are often manageable using calcium gluconate, norepinephrine, and sodium bicarbonate administration. If you use this method, you want to make sure you're not found for some time. It wouldn't be an instant death even if everything goes right.

To be honest I would never really recommend oral OD as a method. It's unpredictable in almost every circumstance.

First and foremost, as the other commenter said overdose with prescription medications is widely unpredictable. Aside from something like a barbiturate, your odds are questionable. Even opioids or benzodiazepines often aren't enough to kill in high dosages.

That being said, metoprolol is a "beta blocker" medication, more specifically it blocks anything from binding to the B1 receptor. This receptor is responsible for controlling the strength of heart contractions, the rate at which they occur (heart rate), and the electrical conductivity of heart tissue. When nothing is able to bind to the B1 receptor due to it being blocked, your heart function is generally decreased (most notably the rate). This is why metoprolol and other similar medications are usually prescribed due to people having tachycardia (fast heart rate) or other similar heart issues. Theoretically, if you took an excess amount it could induce a severe bradycardia (slow heart rate). If your heart isn't beating fast enough, you could pass out, become lightheaded or dizzy, or have a drop in blood pressure. It most likely would not stop your heart, though. It might not be effective on it's own as a method of CTB, but if combined with something else like hanging it might make you harder to "save" in the event you're found and someone tried to prevent your death.

The thing I have learned about overdoses while working in healthcare is that they're pretty much always treatable if caught early. Benzodiazepines or opioids cause breathing to stop, you can ventilate the patient. Antidepressants can cause metabolic issues, but can be treated with different electrolyte infusions. Beta blockers can cause bradycardia, but you can manually control the heart rate using medications or by delivering a controlled shock.