title: Rho kinase inhibitors for glaucoma treatment - Review.
abstract: Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy characterized by the loss of ganglion cells and their axons. A major risk factor for glaucomatous visual field loss is elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), and several studies have shown that lowering IOP reduces the risk of glaucomatous progression. Currently, an increasing number of researches involve Rho kinase inhibitors, which are a new pharmacological class of hypotensive agents specifically targeting the diseased trabecular outflow pathway. Rho kinase inhibitors reduce IOP by increasing aqueous humor drainage through the primary outflow pathway in the eye, which is known as the trabecular meshwork. In addition to improving the outflow facility of the trabecular meshwork, Rho kinase inhibitors also enhance retinal ganglion cell survival after ischemic injury and increase ocular blood flow.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renato Antunes Schiave
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Germano
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Finzi
authors.affiliation: Duke University Eye Center, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Pratap
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Challa
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Remo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Susanna Junior
mesh_terms: D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000187:drug effects; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D054460:rho-Associated Kinases