Increased ocular and systemic responsiveness to epinephrine in primary open-angle glaucoma.

Sixteen patients with primary open-angle gaucoma (POAG) were matched as to age, sex, and race with an equal number of patients with secondary glaucoma. Although initial intraocular pressures were comparable, treatment with topical epinephrine hydrochloride, decreased intraocular pressure more than 5 mm Hg in 14 (88%) of the 16 patients with POAG but in only five (31%) of the 16 patients with secondary glaucoma (p less than .005). Eleven (69%) of the 16 patients with POAG demonstrated premature ventricular contractions during tonography as opposed to three (19%) of the 16 patients with secondary glaucoma (p less than .025). These findings suggested greater ocular as well as cardiac responsiveness to epinephrine in patients with POAG.