Hypotensive drug pilocarpine

Otular Effetts. Pilocarpine and other miotics are used far less frequently than other classes of ocular hypotensive drugs.Adverse ocular events (Box 10-8) are relatively common and necessitate discontinuing the drug in a... 

Ocusert provides uniform controlled release (20 or 40 pg/h for 7 days) of pilocarpine as an ocular hypotensive drug and has been commercialized in 1974. Ocusert consists of two outer layers of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and an inner layer of pilocarpine in alginate gel within di-(ethylhexyl) phthalate for a release enhancer, sandwiched between EVA layers. ... 

Potentially severe adverse effects can result from systemic administration of cholinomimetic drugs, and none should be administered by intramuscular or intravenous injection. If significant amounts of these drugs enter the circulation, nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, salivation, hypotension with reflex tachycardia, cutaneous vasodilation, sweating, and bronchoconstric-tion can result. Pilocarpine can cross the blood-brain barrier and affect cognitive function. Even the topical application of cholinomimetics to the eyes can present... 

Pre-soaked hydrophilic SCLs, as compared with an eye drop, extend the time that the dissolved drug will continue to be effective. For instance, SCLs pre-soaked in a 2% pilocarpine solution and placed on the cornea can maintain a significant reduction in lOP for almost 24 h." However, 90% of the drug is desorbed within a half hour, and the increase in the pulse necessary to achieve a full day s hypotensive therapy produces significant pilocarpine side-effects, such as increased miosis and myopia. 

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