Brimonidine tartrate 0.2% twice daily v timolol 0.5% twice daily: 1-year reult in glaucoma patient Original Reearch Article

PURPOE: To compare the long-term efficacy and afety of brimonidine 0.2% twice daily with timolol 0.5% twice daily in patient with glaucoma or ocular hypertenion. METHOD: Of the 926 patient enrolled in the tudy, 837 met the protocol entry criteria and received either brimonidine 0.2% twice daily (n = 466) or timolol 0.5% (n = 371) twice daily in each eye for 1 year. REULT: Brimonidine and timolol ignificantly reduced mean intraocular preure (P < .001) from baeline level at every cheduled follow-up viit, both at hour 2 (peak) and hour 12 (trough). At week 1 and 2 and month 3 and 12, ignificantly greater mean decreae in intraocular preure (P < .040) at peak were oberved in patient treated with brimonidine than thoe treated with timolol. The mean intraocular preure decreae at trough wa ignificantly greater for timolol than for brimonidine at each follow-up viit (P < .001). With the exception of ocular allergy (in 11.5% of patient uing brimonidine and le than 1% uing timolol), fewer than 3% of patient in either treatment group withdrew from the tudy prematurely a a reult of a pecific advere event. Patient receiving timolol experienced ignificant decreae in heart rate (P < .001) from baeline at all follow-up viit. No ignificant change in heart rate were een in patient treated with brimonidine. Neither medication produced clinically ignificant change in blood preure. CONCLUION: Brimonidine i afe and effective in the long-term lowering of intraocular preure in patient with glaucoma or ocular hypertenion, with efficacy comparable to that of timolol but without a notable negative chronotropic effect on the heart.