Contraindications
Propranolol may be contraindicated in people with:
Reversible airway diseases, particularly asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Slow heart rate (bradycardia) (<60 beats/minute)
Sick sinus syndrome
Atrioventricular block (second- or third-degree)
Shock
Severe low blood pressure
Cocaine toxicity

Adverse effects
Propranolol should be used with caution in people with:
Diabetes mellitus or hyperthyroidism, since signs and symptoms of hypoglycaemia may be masked
Peripheral artery disease and Raynauds syndrome, which may be exacerbated
Phaeochromocytoma, as hypertension may be aggravated without prior alpha blocker therapy
Myasthenia gravis, which may be worsened
Other drugs with bradycardic effects

Pregnancy and lactation
Propranolol, like other beta blockers, is classified as pregnancy category C in the United States and ADEC category C in Australia. β-blocking agents in general reduce perfusion of the placenta, which may lead to adverse outcomes for the neonate, including lung or heart complications, or premature birth. The newborn may experience additional adverse effects such as low blood sugar and a slower than normal heart rate.Most β-blocking agents appear in the milk of lactating women. However, propranolol is highly bound to proteins in the bloodstream and is distributed into breast milk at very low levels. These low levels are not expected to pose any risk to the breastfeeding infant, and the American Academy of Pediatrics considers propranolol therapy "generally compatible with breastfeeding". Overdose
In overdose propranolol is associated with seizures. Cardiac arrest may occur in propranolol overdose due to sudden ventricular arrhythmias, or cardiogenic shock which may ultimately culminate in bradycardic PEA.
In one small study individuals given propranolol immediately after trauma experienced fewer stress-related symptoms and lower rates of PTSD than respective control groups who did not receive the drug. Due to the fact that memories and their emotional content are reconsolidated in the hours after they are recalled/re-experienced, propranolol can also diminish the emotional impact of already formed memories; for this reason, it is also being studied in the treatment of specific phobias, such as arachnophobia, dental fear, and social phobia.Ethical and legal questions have been raised surrounding the use of propranolol-based medications for use as a "memory damper", including: altering memory-recalled evidence during an investigation, modifying behavioral response to past (albeit traumatic) experiences, the regulation of these drugs, and others. However, Hall and Carter have argued that many such objections are "based on wildly exaggerated and unrealistic scenarios that ignore the limited action of propranolol in affecting memory, underplay the debilitating impact that PTSD has on those who suffer from it, and fail to acknowledge the extent to which drugs like alcohol are already used for this purpose." Other uses
Essential tremor. Evidence for use for akathisia however is insufficient
Migraine and cluster headache prevention and in primary exertional headache
Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
Proliferating infantile hemangioma
Glaucoma
Thyrotoxicosis by deiodinase inhibitionPropranolol may be used to treat severe infantile hemangiomas (IHs). This treatment shows promise as being superior to corticosteroids when treating IHs. Extensive clinical case evidence and a small controlled trial support its efficacy.