Evaluation of Pharmaceutical Characteristics and Carer Usability of Antiglaucoma Ophthalmic Solutions / 医薬品情報学

ABSTRACT

Objective: Glaucoma is the most frequent cause of blindness in Japan and is primarily treated using IOP-lowering ophthalmic solutions. Although the patients themselves frequently instill ophthalmic solutions, instillation by caregivers may be necessary for various reasons. Therefore, we evaluated pharmaceutical characteristics of antiglaucoma ophthalmic solutions and their usability from the caregivers' viewpoint.Methods: Five dorzolamide hydrochloride-timolol maleate ophthalmic solutions and 2 travoprost-timolol maleate ophthalmic solutions were evaluated concerning the pharmaceutical characteristics and subjective squeezability rated by adults aged 20 years or above.Results: Among the dorzolamide hydrochloride-timolol maleate compounding ophthalmic solutions, the squeeze force was the lowest in COSOPT® ophthalmic solution (11.8 N), and DORMOLOL® combination ophthalmic solution NITTEN was rated highest, with 68.2% of the subjects placing it within the top 3 levels of a 7-level scale. Of the travoprost-timolol maleate ophthalmic solutions, the squeeze force was 9.8 N, lower than the pioneer drug, in TraTimo® combination ophthalmic solution NITTO, which was also rated in the top 3 levels by 90.3% of the subjects. A strong negative correlation was observed between the squeeze force and squeezability.Conclusion: In instillation by caregivers, the squeeze force was shown to be correlated with subjective squeezability as in instillation by patients themselves. This study provided information concerning the usability of ophthalmic solutions from the caregivers' viewpoint. For the future, it is necessary to select ophthalmic solutions from the caregivers' as well as the patients' viewpoints by utilizing information obtained in this study.