Alphagan P: Uses, Side Effects and Dosage

What is ALPHAGAN P used for?

• ALPHAGAN P eye drops are used to control intraocular pressure in adult patients with:

  • chronic open-angle glaucoma (a condition that causes damage to the optic nerve of your eye).
  • ocular hypertension (high pressure in the eye).

How does ALPHAGAN P work?

ALPHAGAN P is an eye drop solution that reduces the amount of fluid flowing into the eye and increases the amount of fluid flowing out of the eye. This reduces the pressure inside the eye. It contains a preservative.

What are the ingredients in ALPHAGAN P?

Medicinal ingredient: brimonidine tartrate

Non-medicinal ingredients: 0.005% w/v PURITE® as preservative, boric acid, calcium chloride dihydrate, magnesium chloride hexahydrate, potassium chloride, purified water with hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH, sodium borate decahydrate, sodium carboxymethylcellulose and sodium chloride.

ALPHAGAN P comes in the following dosage forms:

Ophthalmic solution, 0.15% w/v

Do not use ALPHAGAN P if:

• you are allergic to brimonidine tartrate, any of the other ingredients or to any component of the

  ALPHAGAN P container (See What are the ingredients in ALPHAGAN P?).

• you are receiving monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor therapy (used to treat depression).
• ALPHAGAN P should not be used in children under the age of 2 years.

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take ALPHAGAN P. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:

• are breastfeeding a baby, pregnant or intend to become pregnant.

• have or have had heart and blood vessel problems.

• have or have had circulation problems which make the toes and fingers numb and pale. This is called

  Raynaud’s phenomenon.

• have or have had low blood pressure.
• are taking or intend to take other medicines. This is particularly important if you are taking medicine to lower blood pressure or to treat heart disease.
• have or have had liver problems.
• have or have had kidney problems.
• have or have had depression.
• have or have had eye surgery.
• develop an eye condition due to infection or injury.
• wear contact lenses. Lenses should be removed before using ALPHAGAN P and kept out for 15 minutes after use.

Other warnings you should know about:

Immediately tell your healthcare professional if you:

• have or have had eye surgery.
• develop an eye condition due to infection or injury.

Ask your healthcare professional for their advice on whether you should continue to use the ALPHAGAN P bottle.

Driving and using machines:

ALPHAGAN P may cause drowsiness and fatigue or blurred vision. Do not drive, use heavy machinery or participate in dangerous activities or activities requiring you to be alert, until these conditions have passed.

Children (2-18 years of age):

The use of ALPHAGAN P is currently not recommended in children, as several serious side effects have been reported with the use of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.2% in children.

Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements, or alternative medicines.

The following may interact with ALPHAGAN P:

• antihypertensives (medicines used to treat high blood pressure).
• cardiac glycoside (medicine used to treat heart failure and irregular heartbeats).

• central nervous system depressants (alcohol, barbiturates, opiates, sedatives, or anesthetics).

• clonidine (medicine used to treat high blood pressure and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

  [ADHD]).

• heart and blood pressure medications such as alpha-agonists.
• medication such as beta-blockers (ophthalmic and/or systemic), used to treat high blood pressure and irregular heartbeats).
• tricyclic antidepressants (medicines used to treat depression).

How to take ALPHAGAN P:

• You must not use the bottle if the tamper-proof seal on the bottle neck is broken before you first use it.
• ALPHAGAN P contains a preservative called PURITE. If you wear contact lenses, remove them before using ALPHAGAN P. Wait 15 minutes after using the drops before you put your lenses back in.
• Always use ALPHAGAN P exactly as your healthcare professional has told you to.

• If you use ALPHAGAN P with other eye drops, wait at least five minutes between putting in

  ALPHAGAN P and the other drops.

• To help prevent infections, do not let the tip of the bottle touch your eye or anything else. Put the cap back on and close the bottle immediately after you have used it.

Follow the steps below to help you use ALPHAGAN P properly:

1. 1. Wash your hands. Tilt your head back and look at the ceiling. (See image 1)
2. 2. Gently pull down the lower eyelid to create a small pocket. (See image 2)
3. 3. Turn the bottle upside down and squeeze it gently to release one drop into the eyelid pocket. If a drop misses your eye, try again. (See image 3)
4. 4. Let go of the lower lid and close your eye for 30 seconds. (See image 4)
5. 5. Repeat steps 1 – 4 in the other eye if both eyes need treatment.

Usual dose:

Following the instructions for use above, put one drop of ALPHAGAN P in the affected eye, three times daily, about 8 hours apart.

Overdose:

If you accidentally use too many drops, just go back to your regular three times a day dosing the next day. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much ALPHAGAN P, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, or regional poison control centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.

Missed Dose:

If you forget to apply your eye drops at your normal time, simply apply them as soon as you remember. Then go back to the original schedule as directed by your healthcare professional. Don’t try to catch up on missed drops by applying more than one dose at a time.

What are possible side effects from using ALPHAGAN P?

These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking ALPHAGAN P. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.

• a feeling that something is in your eye
• allergic reaction
• blurred vision
• burning and stinging of the eye
• constriction of eye’s pupil
• depression
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• dry eyes
• dryness of the mouth
• eye and eyelid swelling
• eye allergy
• eye pain
• eyesight decrease
• eye discharge
• eye irritation
• fainting
• feeling weak
• headache
• inflammation of the surface of the eye
• inflammation of the eye’s pupil
• itchy eyes and eyelids
• light sensitivity
• red eyes and eyelids
• skin reaction
• small bumps on the eye surface
• sticky eyes
• stuffy or runny nose
• swelling of eye’s pupil
• visual disturbance
• watery eyes

Serious side effects and what to do about them

If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.

Reporting Side Effects

Storage:

ALPHAGAN P should be stored in the original container at 15 to 25°C. Discard unused solution at the end of treatment.

Do not use the drops after the expiry date (marked “Exp”) on the bottle and the box.

Keep out of reach and sight of children.

If you want more information about ALPHAGAN P:

• Talk to your healthcare professional.
• Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada website: (www.canada.ca/en/health- canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html); the manufacturer’s website www.abbvie.ca, or by calling 1-888-704-8271.

Last Revised AUG 25, 2022

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ALPHAGAN P and its design are trademarks of AbbVie Corporation.