vol2 - Page 68

 treatme_ of gl_u_ 'All of these d_ p_ce adve_e _fects_ _i I e
 - several goverT_es_ _rI._ne_ses l_ghtly touched oB the;aide effects of these drugs_
 none provided e _f_Tl or _taiil ed descri pt_o_ of .__e__-i_'_own • adverse consequences o
 26_ The adverse physical consequences resulting from the chronic use
 of commonly employed glaucoma control drugs !_cl_de a vast range of unintended
 , complicatl.oas f_.mild problems llke drug induced fevers, skin rashes, headaches,
 _,_e_c_a, asthma, pulmonary difficulties, hypertemslon, hypotension and muscle
 cramps to truly serious, even l_fe-threatenlng complicatioms including the forma_
 t'ion of cataracts, _tomach and intestinal _Icers_ acute respiratory distress,
 Increase_ and decreases _n heart rate and purse, disruption of heart function,
 chronic and acute renal disease, and bone marrow depletion°
 27, Finally, each FDA-approved drug°family used in glaucoma therapy is
 capable of producing _ let;hal response, even when properly prescribed and _sedo
 Epln_phrlne can lead to elevated blood pressure _hich may result in _trokeor
 - hear% attack, Miotic drugs suppress respir_t_o_ and.can cause respiratory
 paralysis, Diuretic drugs so alter basic body chemistry they cause renal stores
 and may destroy the patient's kidneys or result _ death due to hea_ f_ilureo
 Timolol and related beta-blocking agents, the moat recently approved family of
 glaucoma contrail drugs_ can trigger severe asthma attacks or cause death due to
 sudden cardiac arrhythmias often producing cardiac arrest,
 28, Both of the FDA-approved drugs used in treating the symptoms of
 multiple _clerosi_, Dantrium and Lioresal, _hile accepted as "safe" can, in
 fact, be very dangerous substances_ Dantrium or dantrole_e sodium carries a
 boxed warning i_ the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR) because of its very high
 toxicity. Patients using this drug run a very real risk of developing sympt_