Purpose: To evaluate the use of latanoprost 0.005% given once daily to simplify a patient's glaucoma medical regimen.
Methods: We reviewed 527 charts of which we included 61 patients (61 eyes) with either ocular hypertension or primary open-angle glaucoma who were prescribed latanoprost for the purpose of simplifying their glaucoma medical regimen. The successful substitution of latanoprost was defined as a reduction in the number of dosages given daily with the maintenance of intraocular pressure for at least three months no higher than 2 mmHg from the previous medical regimen.
Results: This study showed that 43 of 61 patients (70.4%) had latanoprost substituted allowing for fewer dosages per day. Following the substitution the intraocular pressure in the success group fell from 22.5+/-5.9 mmHg to 18.3+/-3.8 mmHg (p<0.001) over an average follow-up of 6.6+/-1.9 months. The total number of dosages per day in the success group fell from 4.8+/-2.4 to 1.7+/-1.3 at exit (p<0.001). Twenty-two patients had one medicine, 14 patients two, and seven patients three medicines discontinued after latanoprost was added. Reasons for failure after the substitution were ineffectiveness of latanoprost (n=11) or an adverse event (n=7). No trends in the number or types of medicines at baseline discontinued were observed in the success or failure groups.
Conclusion: This study shows that latanoprost 0.005% once daily can be substituted for one or more medicines in the majority of ocular hypertension and primary open-angle glaucoma patients to simplify the medical regimen.