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Glaucoma risk linked to high blood pressure
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People who have hypertension are at a higher risk for developing glaucoma than those who do not, according to results of a large British study.
Michael J.S. Langman and colleagues at the University of Birmingham reviewed data on more than 27,000 patients with glaucoma and compared them to a similarly sized control group.
Hypertension was “significantly more common” in the patients with glaucoma than in controls (odds ratio 1.29). Treatment of the hypertension with oral beta-blockers appeared to protect patients from the increased risk, but other hypertension medications such as oral calcium-channel antagonists or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors did not, the researchers said. Oral corticosteroid treatment was associated with increased risk as well, they said.
The study is published in the August issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology.