Autonomic drugs in the treatment of canine and feline glaucoma – Part II: Medications that lower intraocular pressure by reducing aqueous humour production

Abstract

One characteristic of the most common types of glaucoma is increased intraocular pressure (IOP), which has a damaging effect on optic nerve axons, leading to progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells. Therefore, ocular hypotensive drugs are the mainstay of pharmacological therapy for glaucoma. This review article, which is the second part of a two-part series, is dedicated to autonomic drugs which lower IOP by decreasing the aqueous humour production. These agents are subdivided into two groups: β-adrenergic antagonists and selective α 2 -adrenergic agonists. This paper summarizes the current state of knowledge on the mechanism of action of these drugs and their effect on IOP in dogs and cats. Moreover, it discusses their possible undesirable side effects of these medications and presents the current ideas about their role and position in the medical management of glaucoma in small animals.

Magnesium Hydroxide Nanoparticles Improve the Ocular Hypotensive Effect of Twice Daily Topical Timolol Maleate in Healthy Dogs

“…In our experiment, there were no ocular or systemic serious adverse effects during the 7-day treatment or during the 28-day interval periods. The systemic side effects of topically applied TM, such as bradycardia and hypotension, are related to systemic absorption from the nasolacrimal duct in both dogs and humans [ 14 , 40 ]. The fixed combinations of nMH did not exacerbate the bradycardia effect of TM.…”

“…TM reduces IOP by decreasing the production of the aqueous humor and blocking the beta-adrenergic receptor in ciliary body nonpigmented epithelial cells [ 10 , 11 ]. Particularly in dogs, TM also causes miosis [ 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. As for other local effects, TM affects contralateral IOP and pupil size (PS) in dogs [ 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

“…As for other local effects, TM affects contralateral IOP and pupil size (PS) in dogs [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. However, systemically absorbed TM can induce or exacerbate several adverse outcomes, such as bradycardia, hypotension, and bronchial asthma [ 13 , 14 , 16 , 17 ].…”

A review of the pharmacology of osmotic agents for the treatment of glaucoma in dogs

“…The third group of medications employed in the treatment of glaucoma are osmotic drugs; although these agents also enhance the outflow of AH and most probably reduce AH formation, they are traditionally distinguished as a separate class. The present paper constitutes the fifth and final paper in a series devoted to the pharmacological characterization of ocular hypotensive drugs in the context of their application for the therapy of glaucoma in small animals (Maślanka, 2014a(Maślanka, , 2014bMaślanka, 2015aMaślanka, , 2015b.…”