Comprehensive Nursing Pharmacology Q 229
Drugs that lower intraocular pressure work by increasing:
A. The flow of aqueous humor through the anterior chamber.
B. Fluid volume in the eye's anterior chamber.
C. Pressure in the eye chambers.
D. Diameter of the eye chambers.
Correct Answer: A. The flow of aqueous humor through the anterior chamber.
Drugs that lower intraocular pressure increases the flow of aqueous humor through the eye’s anterior chamber. The goal of glaucoma treatment is to improve quality of life through the reduction of IOP to preserve visual function. In the process of IOP reduction, an ideal medication should have a schedule that is simple to follow, be least interrupting with a patient’s life, highly tolerable, and affordable.
Option B: The primary mechanism of action of prostaglandins is believed to reduce IOP by increasing uveoscleral outflow. This is in contrast to other classes of antiglaucoma medications, which act by increasing aqueous humor outflow via the trabecular meshwork or by inhibiting aqueous production.
Option C: There is some evidence suggesting that long-term therapy with bimatoprost increases both pressure-dependent trabecular outflow and pressure-independent uveoscleral outflow via remodeling of extracellular matrix in the trabecular meshwork and ciliary muscle, respectively.
Option D: Systemic adverse events reported after treatment with bimatoprost 0.03% have included colds and upper respiratory tract infections occurring in approximately 10% of patients, and headaches, abnormal liver function tests, asthenia, and hirsutism. Bimatoprost 0.03% did not have any clinically significant effect on heart rate or blood pressure in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension in clinical trials.