Brimonidine (Ophthalmic)
Brand Names : Alphagan
Before Using This MedicineIn deciding to use a medicine,
the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do.
This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For ophthalmic brimonidine,
the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or
allergic reaction to brimonidine. Also tell your health care professional
if you are allergic to any other substances, such as preservatives.
Pregnancy - Brimonidine has not been studied in pregnant women.
Studies in animals have shown that brimonidine crosses the placenta, but very
high doses have not been shown to cause harmful effects in the fetus.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether brimonidine passes into
human breast milk. However, it has been shown to pass into the milk of nursing
animals.
Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult
patients. There is no specific information comparing use of brimonidine in
children with use in other age groups.
Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically
in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly
the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects
or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use
of brimonidine in the elderly with use in other age groups.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used
together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together
even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to
change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are using
brimonidine, it is especially important that your health care professional
know if you are taking any of the following:
-
Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor activity ( isocarboxazid
[e.g., Marplan], phenelzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane],
selegiline [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate]) - Brimonidine
should not be taken while you are taking or within two weeks of taking monoamine
oxidase (MAO) inhibitors
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical
problems may affect the use of brimonidine. Make sure you tell your doctor
if you have any other medical problems, especially:
-
Heart or blood vessel disease or
-
Low blood pressure - Although very little ophthalmic brimonidine
is absorbed into the body, there is a possibility that it could affect blood
pressure
-
Kidney disease or
-
Liver disease - Higher blood levels of brimonidine may result
-
Mental depression - Use of brimonidine may make this condition
worse
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