Background: Systemic absorption of topical phenylephrine administered during mydriasis may potentially cause hemodynamic changes in patients. Objective: To compare the hemodynamic outcomes between patients given tropicamide+phenylephrine and those given tropicamide alone for mydriasis. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Setting: Ophthalmology Outpatient Clinic, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Davao City, from April to June 2017. Participants: 56 male and female patients aged ≥ 19 years and scheduled for mydriasis. Interventions: Random allocation to either one drop of 0.5% tropicamide plus 0.5% phenylephrine or one drop of 0.5% tropicamide for mydriasis of the examined eye. Main outcome measures: Mean systolic BP, mean diastolic BP, mean arterial pressure, mean heart rate, and at least one episode of tachycardia or bradycardia. Main results: Thirty (53.57%) patients received tropicamide drops, and the rest received tropicamide+phenylephrine drops. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the two intervention groups were comparable at baseline. The mean blood pressures and heart rates at 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes postmydriasis did not significantly differ between the two groups. Four patients from the tropicamide group, and none from the phenylephrine+tropicamide group had tachycardia (p=0.1153). On the other hand, five patients from the tropicamide group, and four from the phenylephrine+tropicamide group had bradycardia (p=1.0000). Conclusion Hemodynamic outcomes did not significantly differ up to 60 minutes after mydriasis between patients who received tropicamide+phenylephrine drops and those who received tropicamide drops.
Blood Pressure ; Heart Rate ; Sympathomimetics ; Muscarinic Antagonists ; Parasympatholytics