Adverse drugs reactions associated with glaucoma medications

ABSTRACT

We undertook a non-concurrent prospective study of 191 Puerto Rican patients from August 1993 to April 1994. All patients had open angle glaucoma (OAG) (age ranged from 50 to 80 yrs; mean = 65 yrs). Patient's symptomatology associated to side effects of their glaucoma medicadons was reviewed. Incidence percent of ocular and/or systemic side effects per medication were levobunolol 45.0; betaxolol 42.0; timolol 27.3; pilocarpine 100; dipivefrin 14.0; and acetazolamide 250 mg 64.1. Incidence percent of ocular and/or systemic side effects of topical beta-blockers used with concomittant medications were determined. Ocular side effects were more frequent in patients using levobunolol 44.2 than in those patients using betaxolol 42.0, 8.5 of patients using levobunolol did report systemic side effects. No systemic side effects were reported by patients using betaxolol. Ocular side effects in patients using pilocarpine were frequent (100); whereas the frequency of systemic side effects was low (6.1). Systemic side effects were common in patients using carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. These results suggest that non-selective and cardio-selective topical Beta-blockers, differ in their ocular or systemic side effects