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Abstract #6521 Published in IGR 3-2
Eyedrop medicine wastage by glaucoma patients
Gelman Vaidergorn P; Susanna R Jr; Campelo Leal B; Fernandes Villela FRevista Brasileira de Oftalmologia 2001; 60: 271-276
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how much of six commercially available IOP-lowering medicines (Cosopt™), Timoptol™ 0.5, Trusopt™, Alphagan™, Xalatan™, Rescula™) is wasted through misusage. PLACE: Glaucoma department, Ophthalmology Clinic, Hospital das Clinicas, FMUSP. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An experimental count of drop content for each medication was carried out; similar bottles were handed to chronic glaucoma patients, and the total number of instillations each one yielded was obtained. Experimental count and patient instillation numbers were compared. RESULTS: The overall wastage rate for the six drugs studied was 38.3%; however, there was significant variation among them: Cosopt™ with 15.1% and Xalatan™ with 27.6% wastage rates were below average; Timoptol™ 0.5% with 41.1%, Alphagan™ with 40.8%, and Rescula™ with 47.4% were within average, and Trusopt™ with a 58.6% wastage rate was above average. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that chronic glaucoma patients might be incurring in a significant amount of eyedrop content loss. Medicine wastage can pose an additional financial burden on disease treatment. LA: Portuguese
Classification:
11.20 Other (Part of: 11 Medical treatment)