Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36544625›Full record

ReviewDrugs in context2022

Propranolol for the management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Rajesh R Tampi, Deena J Tampi, Syeda Arshiya Farheen, Sochima I Ochije, Pallavi Joshi

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Drugs in context, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 22% 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

3 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer's disease: Bridging mechanisms, management, and emerging innovations.Neurotherapeutics : the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics · 2026
    Review
  2. One-Trial Appetitive Learning Tasks for Drug Targeting.CNS & neurological disorders drug targets · 2024
    Review
  3. Review
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

5 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.

Rajesh R TampiDepartment of Psychiatry, Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE, USA.
Deena J TampiCo-Founder and Managing Principal, Behavioral Health Advisory Group, Princeton, NJ, USA.
Syeda Arshiya FarheenDepartment of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Cleveland Clinic Akron General, Akron, OH, USA.
Sochima I OchijeDepartment of Psychiatry, Emory University Hospital, Atlanta GA, USA.
Pallavi JoshiDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
Cleveland Clinic · USEmory University Hospital · USUniversity of Arizona · USYale University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Propranolol is a β-adrenergic antagonist used in the management of hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, and angina pectoris. There is some evidence that propranolol may benefit individuals with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). A total of three case series, one randomized controlled trial and one case report were identified (from a literature search of three major databases: PubMed, Ovid, and Cochrane collaboration) that assessed the use of propranolol for the management of BPSD. From these studies, it appears that propranolol improves BPSD, including agitation and aggression. Propranolol is also well tolerated with no significant bradycardia or hypotension noted in these studies. Current data on the use of propranolol for the management of BPSD are limited in comparison to other pharmacological agents (atypical antipsychotics, antidepressants, acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, and cannabinoids) and treatment modalities (repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroconvulsive therapy). The efficacy and safety of these treatments among individuals with BPSD has been evaluated in multiple controlled studies. In clinical practice, the routine use of propranolol among people with BPSD cannot be recommended at this time given the limited data. However, propranolol can be trialled among individuals with BPSD when symptoms have not responded adequately to other medications. Propranolol may also be used prior to embarking on trials of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and electroconvulsive therapy among people with BPSD given the greater acceptance of this medication in the general population.

Indexed as

aggressionagitationbehavioural and psychological symptoms of dementiadementiapropranololrandomized controlled trial (RCT)

Identifiers

PMID36544625
PMCPMC9753600
OpenAlexW4311705412

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

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.