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. 1998 Jul;82(7):758–762. doi: 10.1136/bjo.82.7.758

Topical carbonic anhydrase inhibition increases ocular pulse amplitude in high tension primary open angle glaucoma

K Schmidt 1, A von Ruckmann 1, L Pillunat 1
PMCID: PMC1722689  PMID: 9924367

Abstract

BACKGROUND—Ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) is reduced in normal tension primary open angle glaucoma (NTP) patients when compared with healthy age matched controls (CTL) while increased OPA appears to protect ocular hypertensive patients from visual field loss. If NTP is accompanied by vasospasm, as in roughly half of the primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) population (independent of intraocular pressure, IOP), calcium channel blockers increase OPA and thus stabilise visual fields in these patients. Current glaucoma drugs reduce IOP but do not activate (compromised) ocular perfusion.
METHODS—The influence of dorzolamide, a topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor in standard dosage (three times daily, one eye) on OPA, IOP, blood pressure, and heart rate was investigated in a randomised, prospective, masked clinical trial assessing the acute effects of dorzolamide v placebo before and 2 days after application in 33 cataract patients with (n = 14) and without (n = 19) high tension POAG (HTP) who provided informed consent.
RESULTS—Following application of dorzolamide (D) IOP (mm Hg, mean (SEM)) in HTPD (20.2 (0.5)/16.3 (0.5)) and in CTLD (16.0 (0.5)/12.3 (0.5)) was highly significantly (p <0.001) reduced and was significantly (p<0.03) reduced in vehicle (V) treated eyes (HTPV: 20.3 (0.4)/19.0 (0.4)) and CTLV: 15.8 (0.4)/14.9 (0.3)) when compared with respective baseline measurements. OPA (mm Hg) in HTPD (2.1 (0.1)/2.5 (0.1)) and CTLD (2.2 (0.1)/2.6 (0.2)) eyes was significantly (p<0.05) increased and unaffected in vehicle treated eyes when compared with respective baseline measurements. Systemic perfusion variables were also unchanged.
CONCLUSION—Dorzolamide increased OPA in HTP and CTL. Drugs stimulating OPA may improve prognosis of POAGs.

 Keywords: ocular pulse amplitude; primary open angle glaucoma; dorzolamide

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Figure 1  .

Figure 1  

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Intraocular pressure (IOP) in dorzolamide (D) and vehicle (V) treated eyes of high tension primary open angle glaucoma (HTP) patients (n = 12) and non-glaucomatous controls (CTL, n = 16) before and after drug or vehicle application. Bars represent mean (SEM). *Indicates p<0.05 compared with measurements before drug or vehicle application using the Student's two tailed, paired t test.

Figure 2  .

Figure 2  

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Ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) in dorzolamide (D) and vehicle (V) treated eyes of high tension primary open angle glaucoma (HTP) patients (n = 12) and non-glaucomatous controls (CTL, n = 16) before and after drug or vehicle application. Bars represent mean (SEM). *Indicates p<0.05 compared with measurements before drug or vehicle application using the Student's two tailed, paired t test.

Selected References

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