This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Primary open-angle glaucoma patients have blood pressure, perfusion pressure variations
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
BOSTON — Primary open-angle glaucoma patients show a distinct behavior of perfusion pressure, according to a presentation here.
 Vital P. Costa |
"The 24-hour evaluation of IOP and perfusion pressure shows a striking difference between the glaucoma patients and healthy controls, especially at night. The current management of glaucoma may be incomplete because of impossibility of measuring IOP and perfusion pressure at night," Vital P. Costa, MD, said at the World Glaucoma Congress.
Dr. Costa compared the IOP, blood pressure and perfusion pressure variations of 29 primary open-angle glaucoma patients and 24 healthy subjects throughout a 24-hour time period. IOP and blood pressure measurements were taken every 2 hours from 8 a.m. to 6 a.m., with the IOP measurements taken in the supine position from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.
Mean IOP measurements in the glaucoma patients were significantly higher than the healthy subjects at all times. Mean systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in glaucoma patients from 4 a.m. to 10 a.m. and also from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Mean diastolic blood pressure was higher in patients from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. but was lower at 4 a.m.
Dr. Costa said the glaucoma patients had higher systolic perfusion pressures during the morning from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. but lower diastolic perfusion pressures during the night from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m.