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Anti-VEGF safe in hypertensive, nonhypertensive patients for blood pressure and IOP
Retina. 2009;29(10):1409-1417.
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Injections of intravitreal bevacizumab in nonhypertensive and hypertensive patients lowered IOP at 1 week after injection, a study found. Blood pressure was not adversely affected.
"The mean IOP 30 minutes after injection was significantly higher than the baseline mean IOP (P < .05), and the mean IOPs at 1 day and 1 week were significantly lower than before injection in both groups (P < .05)," the authors said.
The prospective study looked at 135 consecutive patients who were treated for retinal vascular diseases. Of those, 74 were nonhypertensive and 61 were hypertensive. Hypertension was controlled, with patients in that group on medication.
All patients received a 1.25 mg intravitreal injection of Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech). Follow-up was 6 months.
In the hypertensive group, mean baseline systolic and diastolic pressures were significantly higher than in the nonhypertensive patients. The systolic and diastolic values in the hypertensive group did not differ significantly from baseline after injection.
However, in the nonhypertensive group, 30-minute systolic values were significantly higher than baseline. At 1 day after injection, diastolic values were lower than baseline.