Tag: Alpha adrenergic agonists

According to the World Health Organization, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness globally. Understanding what are four drugs used in treatment of glaucoma is critical, as controlling intraocular pressure is the main therapeutic strategy to prevent optic nerve damage and vision loss. These medications work in different ways to either reduce the amount of fluid produced in the eye or increase its drainage.

While typically rare, some patients report experiencing dizziness after using certain types of glaucoma eye drops. This side effect is primarily caused by systemic absorption, where the medication enters the bloodstream instead of remaining localized in the eye. So, can glaucoma eye drops make you dizzy? The answer is yes, and understanding the reason is key to managing it.

According to a 2017 study, some over-the-counter (OTC) cold products in the US were reformulated with the alpha-1 agonist phenylephrine. The phrase “**alpha cough medicine**” is not a standard pharmacological classification but can refer to two very different things: specific homeopathic products or common OTC cold and cough formulas that contain alpha-adrenergic decongestants.

It is estimated that up to 80% of a drug applied to the eye can diffuse into the systemic circulation, bypassing the liver's first-pass metabolism [1.2.3]. This significant absorption explains which eye drops affect blood pressure, both positively and negatively.