Pharmacotherapy of intraocular pressure – part II. Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, prostaglandin analogues and prostamides

Abstract

The second part of this two part review (please see Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy 10(16)) reports the characteristics of other antiglaucoma medications: systemic (acetazomide) and topical (dorzolamide and brinzolamide) carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, which suppress aqueous humour formation; and prostaglandin analogues (latanoprost and travoprost) and prostamides (bimatoprost), which raise aqueous humour outflow. The pharmacologic properties of each compound and its efficacy in the medical treatment of glaucoma, mainly the primary open-angle form, are discussed briefly, focusing on the clinical evidence supporting their use.

Keywords::

• acetazolamide
• bimatoprost
• brinzolamide
• carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
• dorzolamide
• glaucoma
• latanoprost
• prostaglandin analogues
• prostamides
• travoprost