T3-Glaucoma Medications-MJ Flashcards
What is the leading, preventable cause of blindness?
Glaucoma–gets undiagnosed a lot
What happens to the eye if you have glaucoma?
The continuous aqueous humor is not getting filtered out–the filter becomes clogged OR the aqueous humor makes too much fluid.
BOTH of these cause too much pressure, which damages the optic nerve, leading to an increased risk in blindness
What are the drug therapy options for glaucoma?
Decrease production of aqueous humor
Increase drainage
What are 4 of the main drugs used to treat glaucoma?
Timolol
Brimonidine
Dorzolamide
Prostaglandin analogs
Is timolol a selective or non-selective beta blocker?
Non-selective beta blocker
It will block all of the beta receptors (b1-heart; b2-lungs)
What does timolol do?
Decreases production of the aqueous humor
How is timolol absorbed?
Systemically; this drug can travel
1 drop per eye= 10 mg if taken PO
Essentially, putting this drug in your eye is like taking a PO beta-blocker, which would decrease HR and cause bronchoconstriction
Brimonidine is an _____.
Alpha2 agonist
What does brimonidine do?
Decreases production of aqueous humor AND increases drainage
How is brimonidine absorbed?
Systemically
Can brimonidine cross the BBB?
Yes
Brimonidine is lipid soluble. What does this mean?
It can cross the BBB and have sedative effects like fatigue, sedation, drowsiness, and hypotension
What does drozolamide do?
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitor that decreases production of the aqueous humor
Are there any big side effects with drozolamide?
No
Why is prostaglandin analogs good drugs for both convince and adherence?
You only have to take this once a day
What do prostaglandin analogs do?
Increase drainage
What is the unique side effect of prostaglandin analogs?
There are changes to eyelashes and iris
Prostaglandin analogs have a unique feature of having changes to the eyelashes and iris. What does this mean?
Makes lashes longer and thicker
Brown speckles/patches on the iris–can actually change the coloration of your eyes
How often to the changes in eyelashes and iris happen to people taking prostaglandin analogs?
Happens in about 15-30% of most people
What are the 3 types of PROSTaglandin analogs?
LatanoPROST
TravoPROST
BimatoPROST
What are the three common adverse effects with all these types of eyedrops?
Redness, irritation, watering
Ocular burning on application
Bitter taste
Why is bitter taste a common adverse effect when giving a medication in the eye?
The medicine may leak into the nose and smell and taste go hand in hand
There are 5 client teaching that goes along with eyedrop medication. What are they?
- Form a “pocket” in the lower lid
- Place finger on nasolacrimal duct
- Don’t touch the dropper tip
- Space drops by 5 min
- If patient wears contacts, wait 10-15 min
Eyedrop client teaching:
What is the “pocket” called that the patient needs to form?
Conjunctival sac
Eyedrop client teaching:
How long do we place the finger on the nasolacrimal duct and why do we even do this?
1-3 min
So medicine doesn’t drain into the nose
Eyedrop client teaching:
Why can’t we touch the dropper tip?
We want to keep it as sterile as possible
Eyedrop client teaching:
How many minutes do we space drops by?
5 minutes
Eyedrop client teaching:
What do we teach the client if they have contacts?
Take the eyedrops, then wait 10-15 minutes after giving the medicine before putting the contacts in
