title: Gastrointestinal therapeutic system for acetazolamide. Efficacy and side effects.
abstract: Acetazolamide has been formulated in a new gastrointestinal therapeutic system that delivers the drug at an essentially constant rate of 15 mg/hr (GITS 15/125). We compared the therapeutic effect, magnitude of plasma concentration fluctuations, and incidence of side effects produced by the GITS 15/125 with conventional 250-mg acetazolamide tablets on eight glaucomatous patients randomly assigned to a different regimen each week. One or two GITS 15/125 twice a day (bid) were found as effective in reducing intraocular pressure as one 250-mg acetazolamide tablet. Plasma concentration fluctuations with the GITS 15/125 were decreased, compared with acetazolamide tablets, and, as a result, the incidence of drowsiness, tingling feet, tingling hands, and confusion was substantially reduced.
mesh_terms: D000086:Acetazolamide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002214:Capsules; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013607:Tablets
chemical_list: D002214:Capsules; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D013607:Tablets; D000086:Acetazolamide