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Case Reports
. 2020 May 4:10:Doc25.
doi: 10.3205/oc000152. eCollection 2020.

Prolonged central nervous system and respiratory depression in preterm neonates after exposure to brimonidine tartrate and timolol maleate ophthalmic drops

Corrina P Azarcon  1 , Darby E Santiago  1   2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Prolonged central nervous system and respiratory depression in preterm neonates after exposure to brimonidine tartrate and timolol maleate ophthalmic drops

Corrina P Azarcon et al. GMS Ophthalmol Cases. .

Abstract

Objective: We report three cases of preterm neonates who presented with central nervous system (CNS) and respiratory depression after inadvertent exposure to brimonidine tartrate 0.2% and timolol maleate 0.5% fixed-combination ophthalmic drops. Case descriptions: CNS and respiratory depression were observed in the three neonates within two hours of administration of brimonidine tartrate 0.2% and timolol maleate 0.5% eye drops. Respiratory support was initiated upon admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The effects of the drug combination lasted for 24 to 48 hours. Conclusion: This case series suggests that the drug combination of brimonidine tartrate and timolol maleate causes a prolonged depression of the central nervous and respiratory systems in preterm neonates.

Keywords: apnea; brimonidine tartrate; central nervous system depression; preterm neonates; timolol maleate.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Table 1
Table 1. Baseline characteristics of preterm neonates exposed to brimonidiine tartrate 0.2% and timolol maleate 0.5% ophthalmic drops
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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