THE ADDITIVE INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE-LOWERING EFFECT OF LATANOPROST IN COMBINED THERAPY WITH OTHER OCULAR HYPOTENSIVE AGENTS

Latanoprost, a prostaglandin F-2 alpha analogue prodrug, has been show n to be an effective ocular hypotensive agent when used alone on ocula r hypertensive or open angle glaucoma patients. In various studies, th e ocular hypotensive effects of latanoprost have also been evaluated w hen used in addition to, or in combination with, other ocular hypotens ive agents. Latanoprost produces an additional reduction of intraocula r pressure (IOP) when used in combination with timolol, pilocarpine, a cetazolamide and dipivefrin. These represent four different classes of glaucoma drugs - beta adrenergic antagonists, cholinergic agonists, c arbonic anhydrase inhibitors, and adrenergic agonists - all of which r educe the IOP by different mechanisms (reduction of aqueous humor prod uction, increased outflow facility, or by a mixed effect on aqueous hu mor dynamics). All the available evidence shows that latanoprost produ ces a clinically significant additive ocular hypotensive effect when u sed in combination with any currently available ocular hypotensive age nt.