title: Cardiac failure aggravated by timolol eye drops: preoperative improvement by changing to pilocarpine.
abstract: A 73-year-old woman with cardiac dysfunction had several episodes of severe bradycardia and pulmonary oedema when waiting for peripheral vascular surgery. She used timolol eye drops for primary open-angle glaucoma. The first episode of pulmonary oedema occurred two weeks prior to and the second on the day before the planned surgery. There were another two episodes of pulmonary oedema before she was transferred to the Department of Internal Medicine where she had a further two episodes of cardiac failure. After changing timolol to pilocarpine eye drops, the patient's condition was stabilized, and two weeks later surgery and postoperative recovery were uneventful.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bäcklund
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirvelă
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lindgren
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects; D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D008916:Miotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D013999:Timolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D008916:Miotics; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D010862:Pilocarpine; D013999:Timolol