Summary
Propranolol Hydrochloride has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Atrial Fibrillation would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Atrial Fibrillation. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 5 registered trials linking Propranolol Hydrochloride to Atrial Fibrillation: 5 have completed. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT01655303). The largest enrolment is 2204 participants (NCT00911508). Registration activity spans 2006 to 2020. No published literature item is linked to Propranolol Hydrochloride and Atrial Fibrillation in the OSMF database yet, so the record rests on registry entries alone. Registry entries describe intent to study, not outcomes.
The RepurpOS disease-intelligence file for Atrial Fibrillation ranks 332 candidate therapeutics from Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and PubMed; only a minority carry direct clinical evidence, and this page covers one of those. Spontaneous remission context recorded for the condition: Spontaneous reversion to sinus rhythm occurs in ~50% of paroxysmal AF within 24-48 hours; persistent AF almost never self-terminates; rate-control (the dominant strategy) by definition keeps the patient in AF.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | A · Strong |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 34.5 (trials 14.5, literature 0.0, tier 15, approved bonus 5.0) |
| Registered trials | 5 total: 0 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 5 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 0 |
| Agent type | Drug (Small molecule) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Approved |
| Mechanism / class | inhibitor |
| Data sources | DGIdb |
| Linked via biomarker / target | ADRB2 |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT01655303 | Rate Control in Atrial Fibrillation 2011 | completed | Phase 4 | 90 |
| NCT00654290 | Effect of Prophylaxy of Amiodarone and Propranolol and Amiodarone With Propranolol in Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation Post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft 2007 | completed | Not applicable | 240 |
| NCT00911508 | Catheter Ablation vs Anti-arrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation Trial 2009 | completed | Not applicable | 2,204 |
| NCT00578617 | Ablation vs Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation - Pilot Trial 2006 | completed | Not applicable | 60 |
| NCT04513509 | Rate Control in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation 2020 | completed | Not applicable | 13 |
Published literature
No publication is linked to this pair yet.
Mechanism and notes
Recorded mechanism or class: inhibitor.
OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target ADRB2. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Frequently asked questions
Is Propranolol Hydrochloride approved for Atrial Fibrillation?
Propranolol Hydrochloride has reached the approved stage (maximum clinical phase 4) for at least one indication, so its use in Atrial Fibrillation would be drug repurposing rather than first-in-human development. This does not mean it is approved for Atrial Fibrillation. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Propranolol Hydrochloride in clinical trials for Atrial Fibrillation?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 5 registered trials linking Propranolol Hydrochloride to Atrial Fibrillation: 5 have completed. The most advanced is Phase 4 (NCT01655303). The largest enrolment is 2204 participants (NCT00911508). Registration activity spans 2006 to 2020.
What does the evidence show for Propranolol Hydrochloride in Atrial Fibrillation?
Propranolol Hydrochloride has 5 completed registered trials for Atrial Fibrillation but no linked publication, which usually means results are unpublished, pending, or not yet matched to this record. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is A (Strong), derived from the strength of the disease association recorded in DGIdb, in this case via the biomarker or target ADRB2. The tier describes how well the drug-disease link is documented, not how well the drug works.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-07-05. Page built 2026-10-07.