Details

Betaxolol is a beta-blocker that reduces pressure inside the eye. Betaxolol ophthalmic (for the eyes) is used to treat open-angle glaucoma and other causes of high pressure inside the eye. Do not use this medication if you are allergic to betaxolol, or if you have asthma, or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), slow heartbeats, or a heart condition called "AV block." Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you have breathing problems such as bronchitis or emphysema, a history of heart disease or congestive heart failure, diabetes, history of stroke, blood clot, or circulation problems, a thyroid disorder, or a muscle disorder such as myasthenia gravis.

Typical Uses

Betaxolol is used alone or with other medications to treat high pressure inside the eye due to glaucoma (open-angle type) or other eye diseases (e.g., ocular hypertension). Lowering high pressure inside the eye helps to prevent blindness. Betaxolol belongs to a class of drugs known as beta blockers and works by decreasing the amount of fluid that is made within the eye.

Side Effects

Stop using betaxolol and contact your healthcare professional as soon as possible if you experience severe swelling, itching, burning, redness, pain, or discomfort in or around your eye drainage, crusting, or oozing of your eyes or eyelids bronchospasm (wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing) slow heart rate, weak pulse, fainting, slow breathing (breathing may stop) feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion or swelling, rapid weight gain.

Drug Interactions

• Betaxolol+aminophylline- Ask your doctor before using betaxolol ophthalmic together with aminophylline. Using these medications together can make betaxolol ophthalmic less effective and increase the effects of aminophylline. Contact your doctor if you experience nausea, vomiting, insomnia, tremors, restlessness, uneven heartbeats, or difficulty breathing.

• Betaxolol+diltiazem- Using diltiazem and betaxolol ophthalmic together may lead to increased side effects. This can cause fatigue, headache, fainting, swelling of the extremities, weight gain, shortness of breath, chest pain, increased or decreased heartbeat, or irregular heartbeat.

• Betaxolol+dyphylline- Ask your doctor before using betaxolol ophthalmic together with dyphylline. Using these medications together can make betaxolol ophthalmic less effective and increase the effects of dyphylline.

• Betaxolol+methacholine- Using betaxolol ophthalmic and methacholine is not recommended. Taking these drugs together can cause symptoms of chest tightness, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, or nausea.

Mechanism of action

Betaxolol is a beta-adrenergic blocking agent that is used for the treatment of glaucoma. When taken by mouth, betaxolol and other beta-adrenergic blocking agents act mainly by blocking the action of the sympathetic (adrenergic) nervous system, for example, on the heart. In addition to its effect on the heart, betaxolol reduces the pressure within the eye (intraocular pressure). This effect is thought to be caused by reducing the production of the liquid (called the aqueous humour) within the anterior chamber of the eye although the precise mechanism of its effect is not known. The reduction in intraocular pressure reduces the risk of damage to the optic nerve and loss of vision in patients with elevated intraocular pressure due to glaucoma.

Pregnancy Category : C