Current Medical Research and Opinion
ISSN: 0300-7995 (Print) 1473-4877 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/icmo20
Oxprenolol in the treatment of examination stress G. Krishnan To cite this article: G. Krishnan (1976) Oxprenolol in the treatment of examination stress, Current Medical Research and Opinion, 4:3, 241-243, DOI: 10.1185/03007997609109311 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1185/03007997609109311
Published online: 07 Aug 2008.
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Date: 08 November 2015, At: 05:55
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Current Medical Research and Opinion
Vol. 4, No. 3, 1976
Oxprenolol in the treatment of examination stress
G. Krishnan, B.Sc., M.B., B.Ch.
Curr. Med. Res. Opin., (1976), 4,241.
Student Health Service, University of Leicester, Leicester, England
Received: 5th April 1976
Summary In a double-blind preliminary study in 32 students exhibiting symptoms of examination stress, treatment with 80 mg oxprenolol daily or 4 ing diazepam daily were found to be equally effective in relieving anxiety and tension, as assessed by both students and physician. Although students on diazepam became signiJicantly more confident of success than those on oxprenolol, their results were worse than expected. In contrast, students on oxprenolol did not gain in confidence and thej? were signifkantly more successful than anticipated by their tutors. Key wordy: Oxprenolol - diazepam - stress, examination
Introduction University examinations provoke a variable degree of anxiety which may be beneficial. However, the associated stress, tremor and sweating may in fact impair performance.2 It would seem desirable, therefore, to eliminate such somatic aspects of anxiety while leaving the psychic benefits of stress unimpaired. Beta-adrenergic blocking agents have been shown to act specifically on the somatic aspects of stress,3r4 and beneficial effects have been demonstrated.’ It was decided, therefore, to use the p-adrenergic blocking drug oxprenolol in a study on examination stress. The aim of this study was to compare the anxiolytic properties of oxprenolol with those of diazepam both in terms of subjective effect and of effect on performance.
Patients and methods A double-blind between patient technique was used, comparing 40 mg oxprenolol twice daily with 2 mg diazepam twice daily, allocated randomly. Volunteers were recruited from male and female students attending the Health Service at Leicester University with symptoms referable to a forthcoming examination. A history of diabetes, asthma, cardiac insufficiency or psychiatric illness meant exclusion from the study. Information was gained from three sources: the student, the physician and the tutor. Assessments were made on four occasions: (i) at the initial visit, (ii) several 24 1
Oxprenolol in the treatment of examination stress
Downloaded by [Imperial College London Library] at 05:55 08 November 2015
days before the examination, (iii) during the examination period, and (iv) after the examination. The student recorded his anxiety and tension on a visual analogue scale and noted his sleep duration. He also estimated his chance of passing the examination. The physician assessed the student’s anxiety on a 4-point scale ; he also recorded personality, pulse rate, cigarette consumption and skin condition. The tutor estimated whether the student would fail or pass, including the expected grade.
Results Thirty-two students were entered into the study: 15 were given oxprenolol 40 mg b.d. and 17 were given diazepam 2 mg b.d. The age of the students ranged between 18 and 23 years. Students’ self-assessment Anxiety and tension were significantly reduced by treatment although there was no difference between the treatments (Table I). The students on diazepam during the examination became significantly more confident of success, unlike those on oxprenolol (,Table TI). No significant change in sleep pattern was produced by either drug. Table I. Students’ self-assessment of anxiety and tension: mean of visual analogue scores Drug
Anxiety
Oxprenolol Diazepam
Tension
1st visit
3rd visit
70.6 64.2
33.9 43.3
p < 0.001 p
ISSN: 0300-7995 (Print) 1473-4877 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/icmo20
Oxprenolol in the treatment of examination stress G. Krishnan To cite this article: G. Krishnan (1976) Oxprenolol in the treatment of examination stress, Current Medical Research and Opinion, 4:3, 241-243, DOI: 10.1185/03007997609109311 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1185/03007997609109311
Published online: 07 Aug 2008.
Submit your article to this journal
Article views: 5
View related articles
Citing articles: 1 View citing articles
Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=icmo20 Download by: [Imperial College London Library]
Date: 08 November 2015, At: 05:55
Downloaded by [Imperial College London Library] at 05:55 08 November 2015
Current Medical Research and Opinion
Vol. 4, No. 3, 1976
Oxprenolol in the treatment of examination stress
G. Krishnan, B.Sc., M.B., B.Ch.
Curr. Med. Res. Opin., (1976), 4,241.
Student Health Service, University of Leicester, Leicester, England
Received: 5th April 1976
Summary In a double-blind preliminary study in 32 students exhibiting symptoms of examination stress, treatment with 80 mg oxprenolol daily or 4 ing diazepam daily were found to be equally effective in relieving anxiety and tension, as assessed by both students and physician. Although students on diazepam became signiJicantly more confident of success than those on oxprenolol, their results were worse than expected. In contrast, students on oxprenolol did not gain in confidence and thej? were signifkantly more successful than anticipated by their tutors. Key wordy: Oxprenolol - diazepam - stress, examination
Introduction University examinations provoke a variable degree of anxiety which may be beneficial. However, the associated stress, tremor and sweating may in fact impair performance.2 It would seem desirable, therefore, to eliminate such somatic aspects of anxiety while leaving the psychic benefits of stress unimpaired. Beta-adrenergic blocking agents have been shown to act specifically on the somatic aspects of stress,3r4 and beneficial effects have been demonstrated.’ It was decided, therefore, to use the p-adrenergic blocking drug oxprenolol in a study on examination stress. The aim of this study was to compare the anxiolytic properties of oxprenolol with those of diazepam both in terms of subjective effect and of effect on performance.
Patients and methods A double-blind between patient technique was used, comparing 40 mg oxprenolol twice daily with 2 mg diazepam twice daily, allocated randomly. Volunteers were recruited from male and female students attending the Health Service at Leicester University with symptoms referable to a forthcoming examination. A history of diabetes, asthma, cardiac insufficiency or psychiatric illness meant exclusion from the study. Information was gained from three sources: the student, the physician and the tutor. Assessments were made on four occasions: (i) at the initial visit, (ii) several 24 1
Oxprenolol in the treatment of examination stress
Downloaded by [Imperial College London Library] at 05:55 08 November 2015
days before the examination, (iii) during the examination period, and (iv) after the examination. The student recorded his anxiety and tension on a visual analogue scale and noted his sleep duration. He also estimated his chance of passing the examination. The physician assessed the student’s anxiety on a 4-point scale ; he also recorded personality, pulse rate, cigarette consumption and skin condition. The tutor estimated whether the student would fail or pass, including the expected grade.
Results Thirty-two students were entered into the study: 15 were given oxprenolol 40 mg b.d. and 17 were given diazepam 2 mg b.d. The age of the students ranged between 18 and 23 years. Students’ self-assessment Anxiety and tension were significantly reduced by treatment although there was no difference between the treatments (Table I). The students on diazepam during the examination became significantly more confident of success, unlike those on oxprenolol (,Table TI). No significant change in sleep pattern was produced by either drug. Table I. Students’ self-assessment of anxiety and tension: mean of visual analogue scores Drug
Anxiety
Oxprenolol Diazepam
Tension
1st visit
3rd visit
70.6 64.2
33.9 43.3
p < 0.001 p
