The acute effect of systemic blood pressure reduction on intraocular pressure in hypertensive patients
Canan Tiambeng1
, Ali Batur1, Özlem Dikmetas2, Nalan Metin Aksu1
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Altindag, Ankara, Turkey
2Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Altindag, Ankara, Turkey
Keywords: Emergency medicine, glaucoma, hypertension, intraocular pressure
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown an association between systemic hypertension and intraocular pressure (IOP). We analyzed the relationship between the decreases of the blood pressure (BP) and IOP in hypertensive patients.
METHODS: The study includes a total of 214 patients: 158 hypertensive and 56 normotensive patients as study and control groups, respectively. The IOP of each eye in both the groups was measured once with a noncontact tonometer at presentation and an hour after BP reduction to normal in the study group. We analyzed the reduction in IOP with decreasing BP.
RESULTS: In the study group, the mean IOP was 15.29 ± 4.05 mmHg in the right and 15.11 ± 3.78 mmHg in the left eyes. The mean IOP measured an hour after the patients became normotensive was 13.78 ± 4.06 mmHg in the right and 13.51 ± 3.82 in the left eyes. There was a statistically significant decrease in the IOPs (P < 0.001). The mean IOP in the control group was 13.54 ± 3.51 mmHg in the right and 13.20 ± 3.33 mmHg in the left eyes. The mean IOP at presentation in the study and control groups was found to be significantly different (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS: Patients in the study group showed a significantly higher IOP compared to patients in the normotensive group. Furthermore, patients in the study group showed a significant reduction in IOP after BP reduction. This may indicate that uncontrolled hypertension poses a risk for prolonged higher IOP. Prolonged higher IOP can be considered a risk factor for the glaucoma.
How to cite this article: Tiambeng C, Batur A, Dikmetas Ö, Aksu NM. The acute effect of systemic blood pressure reduction on intraocular pressure in hypertensive patients. Turk J Emerg Med 2022;22:131-6.
Ethical approval was obtained from the Hacettepe University Ethical Committee numbered 2019/03‑29 (KA‑19001).
• CT: Methodology, software, investigation, resources, writing – original draft • AB: Methodology, validation, formal analysis, writing – original draft • ÖD: Investigation, validation, resources, supervision • NMA: Project administration, writing – review and editing, conceptualization, supervision.
None declared.
None.