Treatment of increased intraocular pressure

This disease of the eye is also known as glaucoma. The optic nerve is damaged in this disease, which is called opticoneuropathy. Not always, but very often, glaucoma is accompanied by increased intraocular pressure.

This increased pressure occurs when the aqueous humor of the eye cannot drain well through the veins and backs up in the eye. There are several reasons for this, which are based on two mechanisms: Too much aqueous humor is formed, which then cannot drain off sufficiently, or the drainage of the aqueous humor is hindered. The beta-blocker metoprolol reduces the formation of aqueous humor, so that less fluid has to be drained: This lowers the intraocular pressure. You can find more information on this topic at: Glaucoma.

Preventive therapy (prophylaxis) of migraine

Patients with migraine suffer from attacks of severe, unilateral headaches with a throbbing character. One third of patients experience pain all over their head. The typical accompanying symptoms of migraine are nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, photophobia and sensitivity to noise.

Often a migraine attack begins with pain in the neck, which moves over the back of the head to the temporal region and into the face. In migraines with aura, patients have neurological symptoms before the headache begins, i.e. symptoms of the nervous system: they can see flashes of light and have visual disturbances or visual field failures. Beta-blockers can be used to prevent frequent migraine attacks: For patients, prophylaxis is an option.

Patients then take the drug at regular intervals and usually in a low dose. The success of the treatment can be assessed after 6-12 weeks at the earliest. In addition to beta-blockers, calcium antagonists are also possible drugs for the prevention of migraine. You can find more information on this topic at: Migraine

Who have more than three migraine attacks a month,
Whose migraines last for 48 hours,
Who have migraines with aura and neurological symptoms
Or who can’t tolerate the acute medication,

Dosage

The dosage in which a beta-blocker should be taken depends on the active substance (most commonly bisoprolol or metoprolol are prescribed) and on the disease that the drug is intended to treat. For high blood pressure, dosages of 50 to a maximum of 200 milligrams per day are possible, depending on how high the blood pressure is. Bisoprolol is prescribed in a dosage of 2.5 to a maximum of 10 milligrams per day.

For other beta-blockers, different dosages apply accordingly. If the tablets are to be used to treat heart rhythm disturbances, metoprolol is usually prescribed in a dosage of 100 milligrams and should then be taken once or twice a day. Bisoprolol can be prescribed in doses between 2.5 and ten milligrams.

As a rule, treatment with beta-blockers must be started with a low dosage at first. If necessary, the doctor can gradually increase the prescribed dosage. When treating high blood pressure, a second or third drug is usually prescribed before the dosage of the beta-blocker is exhausted.