The Prostaglandins Go Head-to-Head
Some drug manufacturers claim superiority in one way or another
over their competitors. To level the playing field, researchers
at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute studied how each prostaglandin
product performed when all factors were equal.
Richard K. Parrish II, M.D. and Paul F. Palmberg, M.D., Ph.D.,
lead researchers in the OHTS, published an multi-center comparative
study of the three prostaglandin analogs—latanoprost, bimatoprost
and travoprost. The intent of the study was to do the first
head-to-head comparison of the prostaglandins.
The findings were as expected: similar drugs within a class
generally perform in a similar fashion.
Often, it’s the side effect profile that tips one’s hand toward
one drug or another. The study concluded: “Latanoprost, bimatoprost,
and travoprost were comparable in their ability to reduce IOP
in open-angle glaucoma and ocular hypertensive patients. Latanoprost
exhibited greater ocular tolerability.”
Obviously, if these drugs all reduce IOP comparably and one
drug is more tolerable—and therefore compliance-enhancing—it
seems relatively easy to make wise prescribing decisions.
Parrish RK, Palmberg P, Sheu WP. A comparison of latanoprost,
bimatoprost, and travoprost in patients with elevated intraocular
pressure: a 12-week, randomized, masked-evaluator multicenter
study. Am J Ophthalmol 2003 May;135(5):688-703.
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