title: Thymoxamine hydrochloride: an alpha-adrenergic blocker.
abstract: Thymoxamine is an alpha-adrenergic blocking agent which works by competitive antagonism of norepinephrine. It is the only alpha-adrenergic blocker available which has tolerable side effects when used as an ophthalmic solution. When used as a 0.5% solution it consistently produces miosis without affecting the intraocular pressure or the ciliary muscle-controlled facility of outflow. The only regularly reported side-effects at this concentration are transient burning and conjunctival hyperemia. Potential applications of thymoxamine include reversal of phenylephrine mydriasis, treatment of angle-closure glaucoma, treatment of  persistent mydriasis after penetrating keratoplasty for keratoconus, reversal of lid retraction in thyroid ophthalmopathy, testing to differentiate angle-closure glaucoma from open-angle glaucoma with narrow angles, aiding in repositioning and maintaining the position of intraocular lenses, treatment of pigmentary glaucoma. Thymoxamine may also contribute to a better understanding of the adrenergic nervous system on aqueous dynamics.
mesh_terms: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D000328:Adult; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D004108:Dilatation, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy; D005141:Eyelid Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008916:Miotics; D013948:Moxisylyte / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000600:supply & distribution / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D008916:Miotics; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D013948:Moxisylyte