Effect of carteolol hydrochloride on 24-hour variation of intraocular pressure in normal-tension glaucoma.

To evaluate the effects of carteolol hydrochloride (carteolol) on 24-h variations in intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG). Twelve patients with NTG were treated with carteolol 2% solution for >or=8 weeks; their pretreatment 24-h IOP variations, blood pressure (BP), and pulse rate (PR) were compared with those measured after the treatment period. Daytime IOP (at 07:00, 10:00, 13:00, and 16:00), maximum IOP, and the mean 24-h IOP were significantly reduced after treatment, as was the 24-h IOP range. Systolic BP in the morning and both systolic and diastolic BP in the afternoon were significantly decreased by the treatment, whereas no significant change of PR was observed. Carteolol had no effect on nocturnal IOP but significantly helped reduce daytime IOP, maximum IOP, mean 24-h IOP, and the 24-h IOP range. The drug exerted no statistically significant effect on the PR.