An asthmatic patient with open-angle glaucoma cannot tolerate non-selective beta-blockers. Which topical agent offers beta-blockade while being relatively safe in reactive airway disease?

• A Levobunolol
• B Carteolol
• C Metipranolol
• D Betaxolol ✓

Explanation

Betaxolol is a cardioselective beta-1 blocker, so it spares bronchial beta-2 receptors and carries much lower risk of bronchospasm than the non-selective agents levobunolol, carteolol, and metipranolol, all of which block both beta-1 and beta-2 receptors. Its IOP reduction is somewhat less than that of timolol, but the airway safety profile makes it the beta-blocker of choice when respiratory disease coexists. Selectivity is the entire discriminating fact here.

Reference: Katzung's Basic and Clinical Pharmacology, 15th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.