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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Glaucoma / April 2004High blood pressure connection?
I have been treated for open angle glaucoma for 20 years - first dignosed when I was 29. I have been on a slew of different eye drops, I am sure I could only remember half of them - propine, timoptic, betoptic, pilocarpine 4% (God I hated that stuff), xylantan, and lately lumigan. There are others that I can't remember. I have also had a full course (3 sessions in each eye) of laser treatment maybe 15 years ago, I am now just getting the lumigan, I guess my doc feels the pressure is being controlled well enough. My question is, is there any possibility that the active agent of lumigan (or some of these others) can raise blood pressure and/or heart rate? I know for a FACT that some of the beta blockers affect breathing. I started having problems breathing years ago and noticed a direct connection between taking some of the drops and a few minutes later my breathig would get harder. Fortuantely, I have within the last few months gotten off of the asthma inhalers I was taking - maybe the lumigan doesn't effect the respiratory system like some of the other drops. Anyway, I have been disgonosed now with high blood pressure and I have a nagging feeling that this too is somehow connected - although I am not finding anything documented on this. Just wondered if anyone else had any experience with this. Anyway, I have > been disgonosed now with high blood pressure and I have a nagging > feeling that this too is somehow connected - although I am not finding > anything documented on this. Just wondered if anyone else had any > experience with this. Hi Mike, I have hundreds of patients on Lumigan and never had any bring up this concern with blood pressure. Lumigan is a prostaglandin analogue, and prostaglandins tend to act locally...that is, there side effects are usually limited to the area around the eye (darker iris color, pigmentation of skin around the eye, eyelash growth, redness of the eye). Of course, anything's possiible, but it's not terribly likely. --Rick Cohn, MD Glaucoma Specialist Winter Park, FL Thanks Dr. Cohn I take it the beta blockers have more systemic effects judging from the adverse effect they had on my breathing? >Anyway, I have >> been disgonosed now with high blood pressure and I have a nagging [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] >Glaucoma Specialist >Winter Park, FL In addition to my glaucoma I also take meds for Congestive Heart Failure and a cardiomyopathy. My glaucoma specialist conferred with my cardiologist and they agreed that using beta blockers to lower IOP was not the best option FOR ME!!! My point is: if heart-related problems in addition to glaucoma, at least check with your cardiologist to make sure there are no conflicts. Good luck.  SignatureThis message and all attachments have been scanned by the most current version of McAfee virus protection software. >In addition to my glaucoma I also take meds for Congestive Heart Failure and >a cardiomyopathy. My glaucoma specialist conferred with my cardiologist and [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >My point is: if heart-related problems in addition to glaucoma, at least >check with your cardiologist to make sure there are no conflicts. Ditto that for clinical depression. I was wary about beta-blockers because I have a history of clinical depression (was in therapy and took Wellbutrin for a couple of years back in the 1990s). That is one big reason why I changed specialists - doctor #1 tried to put me on Betimol and when I voiced concerns, he waved me off with a "now now, little girl" type of gesture and didn't even SAY anything. Considering I'm 41 years old, I didn't appreciate that very much. Anyway, I am on a beta-blocker trial now, but Dr. Chopra discussed the issue with me before putting me on Betoptic S. While it is safe for me to use, it's a weaker drug so I may not see as much IOP reduction as he would like. Just one of those trade-off situations. We'll see in a couple of weeks if it's working out for me. I won't pretend to understand how beta-blockers work, and I know that drug companies have to put down everything from itchy eyes to death on their patient warning leaflets, but I'm glad I brought up the subject with my doctor(s). Leigh -- "Why pay for cologne when mustard is free?" - Filburt >My question is, is there >any possibility that the active agent of lumigan (or some of these [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >taking some of the drops and a few minutes later my breathig would get >harder. Interestingly, increased heart rate and decreased heart rate, as well as laboured or difficult breathing or wheezing are listed as possible side effects for beta blockers. I seem to recall Betagan & Cosopt contain beta blockers too. As for Lumigan, there seems to be no BP/heart side effects. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/uspdi/500295.html#SXX20 http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic2/bimatoprost_ad.htm If you're really interested, here's the approval information for Lumigan. http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/nda/2001/21275_Lumigan.htm There may be something in the Pharmacology Review documentation. Be forewarned, it's rather technical. >Fortuantely, I have within the last few months gotten off of >the asthma inhalers I was taking - maybe the lumigan doesn't effect [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >anything documented on this. Just wondered if anyone else had any >experience with this. I don't recall seeing specific information regarding high BP as a side effect for the eye drops that I've looked at. Perhaps a check on the interactions between the drugs you're taking may offer something of use http://www.drugdigest.org/DD/Interaction/ChooseDrugs/ - --- Norman Please reply via group. E-mail ID does not exist. I definitely have noticed that many of our meds caused me breathing problems . I do have COPD --that's emphysema , asthma , & whatever -- I am also having problems with MY BP fluctuating --from hi to low . like 70/40 And the ER with that reading . Thanks for this site , I will check out my copd meds in relation to the glaucoma meds -( I know they aren't compatable & the Dr. says tough luck ; ) some cause glaucoma - -Incidentally I am Scotch -Irish and glaucoma does run in my family |
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