ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RELAXATION-THERMAL BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING WITH PROPRANOLOL HYDROCHLORIDE

This article evaluated the ability of propranolol to enhance results a chieved with relaxation-biofeedback training. Thirty-three patients we re randomized to relaxation-biofeedback training alone (administered i n a limited-contact treatment format), or to relaxation-biofeedback tr aining accompanied by long-acting propranolol (with dosage individuali zed at 60, 120, or 180 mg/day). Concomitant propranolol therapy signif icantly enhanced the effectiveness of relaxation-biofeedback training when either daily headache recordings (79% vs. 54% reduction in migrai ne activity) or neurologist clinical evaluations (90% vs. 66% reductio n) were used to assess treatment outcome. Concomitant propranolol ther apy also yielded larger reductions in analgesic medication use and gre ater improvements:of quality of life measures than relaxation-biofeedb ack training alone but was more frequently associated with side effect s.