Beta-blocker use associates with lower prevalence of joint pain and lower opioid requirement in people with osteoarthritis

Objective: Recent findings suggest that β-adrenergic blockers have anti-nociceptive properties. The aim of this study was to compare levels of large joint pain between those on adrenergic blockers and those on other antihypertensive medications. Methods: Data from the GOAL study, a secondary care cohort of osteoarthritis (OA), were used. Joint pain was assessed using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis (WOMAC) pain score in 873 individuals who had symptomatic hip and/or knee OA and hypertension, and who were on ≥1 prescription antihypertensive medications. The association between adrenergic blocker prescription and a) at least moderate joint pain (WOMAC