How prostaglandins have changed the medical approach to glaucoma and its costs: an observational study of 2228 patients treated with glaucoma medications.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate how the medical treatment of glaucoma changed between 1997 and 2002, since the advent of prostaglandin derivatives, with regard to drug prescriptions and pharmaceutical costs.

Methods: A study was made of medical prescriptions for 2228 patients with glaucoma and/or ocular hypertension, in order to investigate the following: (i) the antiglaucoma drugs most commonly prescribed in 1997 and 2002, and any differences between the drugs prescribed in these 2 years; (ii) the number of drugs used per patient in 1997 and 2002, respectively, and (iii) any increase in the prescribing of antiglaucoma drugs and their relative costs from 1997 to 2002.

Results: From 1997 to 2002 there was a sharp drop in the prescribing of beta-blockers (79% in 1997 and 55% in 2002).