Original Paper · Travail original · Originalarbeit

Color Doppler Imaging of Ocular Blood Flow after Topical Ketanserin
Mauro Cellini, Roberto Caramazza

Institute of Ophthalmology, University of Bologna, Italy

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmologica 1999;213:286-289 (DOI: 10.1159/000027440)

  Key Words

• Color Doppler imaging
• Ketanserin
• Ocular blood flow
• Antiserotoninergic drugs

  Abstract

The authors investigated the effect of ketanserin 0.5% eye drops on intraocular pressure and orbital blood flow in some healthy volunteers. Ketanserin is a selective antagonist of serotonin S₂ receptors; moreover, it produces an ₁-blocking effect. It causes a systemic reduction of blood pressure and capillary vasodilatation. Three hours after topical administration of ketanserin 0.5%, the intraocular pressure was decreased by about 14% from the baseline. At the same time, we observed by color Doppler imaging that the mean percent increase in the peak systolic velocity in the ophthalmic artery (OA) was 5.18% (p < 0.161) and 23.18% (p < 0.001) in the posterior ciliary arteries (PCAs). The mean resistance index of the OA was in contrast reduced by 1.16% (p < 0.669) and by 32.14% (p < 0.003) in the PCAs. These data show that ketanserin 0.5% eye drops may be useful not only to decrease intraocular pressure but also to improve blood flow in the PCAs that supply the optic nerve head.

  Author Contacts

Mauro Cellini, MD
Institute of Ophthalmology
Via Massarenti, 9
I-40138 Bologna (Italy)
Tel. +39 051 34 2821, Fax +39 051 34 2516

  Article Information

Received: Received: November 19, 1998
Accepted after revision: April 28, 1999
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 3, Number of References : 18