Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32661512›Full record

ArticleChronic pain & management2020

The Association of Beta-Blocker Use to Cognitive Impairment among Adults with Hypertension or Cardiovascular Diseases in the United States.

Fnu Safarudin, Chibuzo O Iloabuchi, Amit Ladani, Usha Sambamoorthi

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Chronic pain & management, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 34% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Cognitive decline and diabetes in the clinical setting.Medicine and pharmacy reports · 2025
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 2 countries.

Fnu SafarudinDepartment of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, USA.
Chibuzo O IloabuchiDepartment of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, USA.
Amit LadaniDepartment of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, USA.
Usha SambamoorthiDepartment of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, West Virginia University School of Pharmacy, USA.
West Virginia University · US

Funding

West Virginia IDEA-CTRU54GM104942 · NIGMS · WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY · PI Sally Lynn Hodder · 2012 to 2026
$81.0M
NIGMS NIH HHS U54 GM104942
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSome studies have shown that beta-blocker use is associated with better cognitive impairment. However, these studies did not control for pain. The relationship between pain and cognitive impairment has been exhaustively investigated. The association of beta blockers to cognitive impairment in the presence of chronic pain is still unknown.

objectiveTo examine the independent association of beta-blocker use to cognitive impairment among adults with hypertension or Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs).

methodsWe used a cross-sectional study design. We derived data on 8,279 adults from the 2015 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Study participants were adults (age > 21 years), with hypertension or CVDs and without intracranial injury, Parkinson, Alzheimer's disease and Related Dementia. Cognitive impairment was measured based on 1) confusion or memory loss; 2) problems making decisions, or 3) supervision for participant's safety. Anti-hypertensive medications were categorized into 1) beta-blockers; 2) other anti-hypertensives; and 3) no antihypertensive medication. We used multivariable survey logistic regressions to examine the association between beta-blockers and cognitive impairment after controlling for biological factors, pain, chronic conditions, socioeconomic status, access to healthcare services, behavioral, socio-cultural and external environmental factors.

resultsOverall, 24.2%, 41.9%, and 33.9% reported using beta-blockers, other antihypertensives, and no antihypertensive medications, respectively; 18.1% participants reported cognitive impairment. After controlling for pain, beta-blocker use was not significantly associated with cognitive impairment (AOR= 1.22, 95%CI= 1.00-1.49). In fully adjusted models, the AOR for beta-blockers use was 1.05 (95%CI = 0.84-1.31).

conclusionIn this first large cross-sectional study, we found that the use of beta-blockers was not associated with cognitive impairment. Future prospective studies that include pain management and blood pressure control are needed to confirm the findings.

Indexed as

Antihypertensive medicinesBeta-blockersCardiovascular diseasesCognitive impairmentPain

Identifiers

PMID32661512
PMCPMC7357995
OpenAlexW3031682493

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceTDM
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.