Pilocarpine indications?

Pilocarpine indications?

• A. Urinary retention
• B. Hypertension
• C. Open-angle glaucoma and xerostomia
• D. Asthma

Answer: (C)

Pilocarpine is a muscarinic agonist that stimulates the parasympathetic system. In the eye it activates M3 receptors on the ciliary muscle, causing contraction and opening of the trabecular meshwork to increase aqueous humor drainage, which lowers intraocular pressure—useful in open-angle glaucoma. It also stimulates exocrine glands, so it can relieve xerostomia by increasing saliva production. It’s not used for urinary retention (that’s typically bethanechol), and it isn’t for hypertension or asthma (muscarinic activation can worsen bronchospasm and has no antihypertensive role). So the best indications are open-angle glaucoma and xerostomia.

Pilocarpine is a muscarinic agonist that stimulates the parasympathetic system. In the eye it activates M3 receptors on the ciliary muscle, causing contraction and opening of the trabecular meshwork to increase aqueous humor drainage, which lowers intraocular pressure—useful in open-angle glaucoma. It also stimulates exocrine glands, so it can relieve xerostomia by increasing saliva production. It’s not used for urinary retention (that’s typically bethanechol), and it isn’t for hypertension or asthma (muscarinic activation can worsen bronchospasm and has no antihypertensive role). So the best indications are open-angle glaucoma and xerostomia.