User:Mr. Ibrahem/Brimonidine

Brimonidine is a medication used to treat open-angle glaucoma, ocular hypertension, and rosacea. In rosacea it improves the redness. It is used as eye drops or applied to the skin.

Common side effects when used in the eyes include itchiness, redness, and a dry mouth. Common side effects when used on the skin include redness, burning, and headaches. More significant side effects may include allergic reactions and low blood pressure. Use in pregnancy appears to be safe. When applied to the eye it works by decreasing the amount of aqueous humor made while increasing the amount that drains from the eye. When applied to the skin it works by causing blood vessels to contract.

Brimonidine was patented in 1972 and came into medical use in 1996. It is available as a generic medication. One milliliter in the United Kingdom costs the NHS about 1.10 £ as of 2019. In the United States the wholesale cost of this amount is about US$0.60. In 2017, it was the 167th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than three million prescriptions.