The effects of the beta-adrenergic-blocking agents, timolol and carteolol, on plasma lipids and lipoproteins in Japanese glaucoma patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether two topical beta-blockers, timolol and carteolol, differently affect plasma lipids and lipoproteins in normolipidemic Japanese patients with glaucoma.


METHODS
Thirty-three normolipidemic patients with primary open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension were randomly allocated to and completed 16 weeks of bilateral treatment with 0.5% timolol, 1.0% carteolol, or 2.0% carteolol twice daily in a three-center, prospective study. Patients using any drugs affecting plasma lipids or with a history of beta-blocker use of hyperlipoproteinemia were excluded. Fasting blood lipids and lipoproteins, including total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, and apoproteins, were measured three times before therapy was initiated. These measurements were repeated every 4 weeks during the treatment period.


RESULTS
The level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly decreased in the timolol treatment group but did not change in the carteolol treatment groups. The ratio of total cholesterol minus high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased in the timolol treatment group.


CONCLUSIONS
Topical beta-blockers do affect plasma lipids in Japanese patients with glaucoma. The effects of timolol are greater than those of carteolol.
Yamamoto
T
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Gifu University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kitazawa
Y
Y
Noma
A
A
Maeda
S
S
Kato
A
A
Ando
Y
Y
Ido
T
T
Inazumi
K
K
Hayakawa
T
T
Goto
Y
Y
Ichien
M
M
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002354:Carteolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013999:Timolol / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids; D008074:Lipoproteins; D013999:Timolol; D002354:Carteolol; D002784:Cholesterol; D007862:Phosphatidylcholine-Sterol O-Acyltransferase