Alphagan-p contains brimonidine, an active ingredient used within ophthalmological preparations, and is prescribed in the management of elevated intraocular pressure — including pressure associated with glaucoma and ocular hypertension. The product is an eye-drop formulation rather than a systemic medication, and it sits within the broader category of topical agents aimed at lowering pressure inside the eye to help protect the optic nerve over time.
The brand is registered in 14 countries, with a footprint that stretches across the Americas, parts of Asia-Pacific, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Representative markets include the United States, Australia, India, Turkey, and Chile, alongside several countries in South America and Southeast Asia such as Colombia, Peru, the Philippines, and Singapore. The structured indication block further down this page lists the registered uses recognised in those markets.
Travellers and expatriates managing glaucoma or ocular hypertension often encounter a particular challenge: eye-drop brands and packaging can differ markedly from one country to another, even when the underlying molecule is the same. Brimonidine itself circulates internationally under several brand names and also appears as a component of certain combination ophthalmic products. A pharmacist or ophthalmologist in the destination country is well placed to identify the local equivalent and to advise on whether a substitution is straightforward or warrants closer follow-up.
Other ophthalmological agents used to lower intraocular pressure exist worldwide under different mechanisms and brand names; they are not freely interchangeable and selection depends on the individual case. Anyone using Alphagan-p who is travelling, relocating, or trying to identify a comparable local product should treat any change in therapy as a clinical decision, made together with an eye specialist or healthcare provider familiar with their history.
Very limited information exists on accidental ingestion of brimonidine in adults; the only adverse reaction reported to date has been hypotension. Symptoms of brimonidine overdose have been reported in neonates, infants, and children receiving ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) as part of medical treatment of congenital glaucoma or by accidental oral ingestion (see Use In Specific Populations). Treatment of an oral overdose includes supportive and symptomatic therapy; a patent airway should be maintained.
ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) is contraindicated in neonates and infants (under the age of 2 years).
Hypersensitivity ReactionsALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) is contraindicated in patients who have exhibited a hypersensitivity reaction to any component of this medication in the past.
Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Adverse reactions occurring in approximately 10-20%of the subjects receiving brimonidine ophthalmic solution (0.1-0.2%) included: allergic conjunctivitis, conjunctival hyperemia, and eye pruritus. Adverse reactions occurring in approximately 5-9% included: burning sensation, conjunctival folliculosis, hypertension, ocular allergic reaction, oral dryness, and visual disturbance.
Adverse reactions occurring in approximately 1-4% of the subjects receiving brimonidine ophthalmic solution (0.1-0.2%) included: abnormal taste, allergic reaction, asthenia, blepharitis, blepharoconjunctivitis, blurred vision, bronchitis, cataract, conjunctival edema, conjunctival hemorrhage, conjunctivitis, cough, dizziness, dyspepsia, dyspnea, epiphora, eye discharge, eye dryness, eye irritation, eye pain, eyelid edema, eyelid erythema, fatigue, flu syndrome, follicular conjunctivitis, foreign body sensation, gastrointestinal disorder, headache, hypercholesterolemia, hypotension, infection (primarily colds and respiratory infections), insomnia, keratitis, lid disorder, pharyngitis, photophobia, rash, rhinitis, sinus infection, sinusitis, somnolence, stinging, superficial punctate keratopathy, tearing, visual field defect, vitreous detachment, vitreous disorder, vitreous floaters, and worsened visual acuity.
The following reactions were reported in less than 1% of subjects: corneal erosion, hordeolum, nasal dryness, and taste perversion.
Postmarketing ExperienceThe following reactions have been identified during postmarketing use of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solutions in clinical practice. Because they are reported voluntarily from a population of unknown size, estimates of frequency cannot be made. The reactions, which have been chosen for inclusion due to either their seriousness, frequency of reporting, possible causal connection to brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solutions, or a combination of these factors, include: bradycardia, depression, hypersensitivity, iritis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, miosis, nausea, skin reactions (including erythema, eyelid pruritus, rash, and vasodilation), syncope, and tachycardia. Apnea, bradycardia, coma, hypotension, hypothermia, hypotonia, lethargy, pallor, respiratory depression, and somnolence have been reported in infants receiving brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solutions.
ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution) 0.1% or 0.15% is an alpha adrenergic receptor agonist indicated for the reduction of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.
After ocular administration of either a 0.1% or 0.2% solution, plasma concentrations peaked within 0.5 to 2.5 hours and declined with a systemic half-life of approximately 2 hours.
DistributionThe protein binding of brimonidine has not been studied.
MetabolismIn humans, brimonidine is extensively metabolized by the liver.
ExcretionUrinary excretion is the major route of elimination of brimonidine and its metabolites. Approximately 87% of an orally-administered radioactive dose of brimonidine was eliminated within 120 hours, with 74% found in the urine.
Pregnancy Category B: Teratogenicity studies have been performed in animals.
Brimonidine tartrate was not teratogenic when given orally during gestation days 6 through 15 in rats and days 6 through 18 in rabbits. The highest doses of brimonidine tartrate in rats (2.5 mg/kg/day) and rabbits (5.0 mg/kg/day) achieved AUC exposure values 360- and 20-fold higher, or 260- and 15-fold higher, respectively, than similar values estimated in humans treated with ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) 0.1% or 0.15%, 1 drop in both eyes three times daily.
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women; however, in animal studies, brimonidine crossed the placenta and entered into the fetal circulation to a limited extent. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit to the mother justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Solution containing 1 mg/mL or 1.5 mg/mL brimonidine tartrate.
Storage And HandlingALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) is supplied sterile, in teal opaque plastic LDPE bottles and tips, with purple high impact polystyrene (HIPS) caps as follows:
0.1%
5 mL in 10 mL bottle NDC 0023-9321-05
10 mL in 10 mL bottle NDC 0023-9321-10
15 mL in 15 mL bottle NDC 0023-9321-15
0.15%
5 mL in 10 mL bottle NDC 0023-9177-05
10 mL in 10 mL bottle NDC 0023-9177-10
15 mL in 15 mL bottle NDC 0023-9177-15
Storage: Store at 15° - 25°C (59° - 77°F).
Allergan, Inc. Irvine, CA 92612, U.S.A. Revised: 05/2010
Included as part of the PRECAUTIONS section.
PRECAUTIONSPotentiation of Vascular Insufficiency ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) may potentiate syndromes associated with vascular insufficiency. ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) should be used with caution in patients with depression, cerebral or coronary insufficiency, Raynaud's phenomenon, orthostatic hypotension, or thromboangiitis obliterans.
Severe Cardiovascular DiseaseAlthough brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution had minimal effect on the blood pressure of patients in clinical studies, caution should be exercised in treating patients with severe cardiovascular disease.
Contamination of Topical Ophthalmic Products After UseThere have been reports of bacterial keratitis associated with the use of multiple-dose containers of topical ophthalmic products. These containers had been inadvertently contaminated by patients who, in most cases, had a concurrent corneal disease or a disruption of the ocular epithelial surface (see PATIENT INFORMATION).
Nonclinical Toxicology Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of FertilityNo compound-related carcinogenic effects were observed in either mice or rats following a 21month and 24-month study, respectively. In these studies, dietary administration of brimonidine tartrate at doses up to 2.5 mg/kg/day in mice and 1 mg/kg/day in rats achieved 150 and 120 times or 90 and 80 times, respectively, the plasma Cmax drug concentration in humans treated with one drop of ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) 0.1% or 0.15% into both eyes 3 times per day, the recommended daily human dose.
Brimonidine tartrate was not mutagenic or clastogenic in a series of in vitro and in vivo studies including the Ames bacterial reversion test, chromosomal aberration assay in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, and three in vivo studies in CD1 mice: a host-mediated assay, cytogenetic study, and dominant lethal assay.
Reproduction and fertility studies in rats with brimonidine tartrate demonstrated no adverse effect on male or female fertility at doses which achieve up to approximately 125 and 90 times the systemic exposure following the maximum recommended human ophthalmic dose of ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) 0.1% or 0.15%, respectively.
Use In Specific Populations PregnancyPregnancy Category B: Teratogenicity studies have been performed in animals.
Brimonidine tartrate was not teratogenic when given orally during gestation days 6 through 15 in rats and days 6 through 18 in rabbits. The highest doses of brimonidine tartrate in rats (2.5 mg/kg/day) and rabbits (5.0 mg/kg/day) achieved AUC exposure values 360- and 20-fold higher, or 260- and 15-fold higher, respectively, than similar values estimated in humans treated with ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) 0.1% or 0.15%, 1 drop in both eyes three times daily.
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women; however, in animal studies, brimonidine crossed the placenta and entered into the fetal circulation to a limited extent. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit to the mother justifies the potential risk to the fetus.
Nursing MothersIt is not known whether brimonidine tartrate is excreted in human milk, although in animal studies, brimonidine tartrate has been shown to be excreted in breast milk. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions from ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
Pediatric UseALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) is contraindicated in children under the age of 2 years (see CONTRAINDICATIONS). During postmarketing surveillance, apnea, bradycardia, coma, hypotension, hypothermia, hypotonia, lethargy, pallor, respiratory depression, and somnolence have been reported in infants receiving brimonidine. The safety and effectiveness of brimonidine tartrate have not been studied in children below the age of 2 years.
In a well-controlled clinical study conducted in pediatric glaucoma patients (ages 2 to 7 years) the most commonly observed adverse reactions with brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution 0.2% dosed three times daily were somnolence (50-83% in patients ages 2 to 6 years) and decreased alertness. In pediatric patients 7 years of age ( > 20 kg), somnolence appears to occur less frequently (25%). Approximately 16% of patients on brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution discontinued from the study due to somnolence.
Geriatric UseNo overall differences in safety or effectiveness have been observed between elderly and other adult patients.
Special PopulationsALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) has not been studied in patients with hepatic impairment.
ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) has not been studied in patients with renal impairment. The effect of dialysis on brimonidine pharmacokinetics in patients with renal failure is not known.
The recommended dose is one drop of ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) in the affected eye(s) three times daily, approximately 8 hours apart. ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) ophthalmic solution may be used concomitantly with other topical ophthalmic drug products to lower intraocular pressure. If more than one topical ophthalmic product is to be used, the different products should be instilled at least 5 minutes apart.
Because clinical studies are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical studies of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical studies of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
Adverse reactions occurring in approximately 10-20%of the subjects receiving brimonidine ophthalmic solution (0.1-0.2%) included: allergic conjunctivitis, conjunctival hyperemia, and eye pruritus. Adverse reactions occurring in approximately 5-9% included: burning sensation, conjunctival folliculosis, hypertension, ocular allergic reaction, oral dryness, and visual disturbance.
Adverse reactions occurring in approximately 1-4% of the subjects receiving brimonidine ophthalmic solution (0.1-0.2%) included: abnormal taste, allergic reaction, asthenia, blepharitis, blepharoconjunctivitis, blurred vision, bronchitis, cataract, conjunctival edema, conjunctival hemorrhage, conjunctivitis, cough, dizziness, dyspepsia, dyspnea, epiphora, eye discharge, eye dryness, eye irritation, eye pain, eyelid edema, eyelid erythema, fatigue, flu syndrome, follicular conjunctivitis, foreign body sensation, gastrointestinal disorder, headache, hypercholesterolemia, hypotension, infection (primarily colds and respiratory infections), insomnia, keratitis, lid disorder, pharyngitis, photophobia, rash, rhinitis, sinus infection, sinusitis, somnolence, stinging, superficial punctate keratopathy, tearing, visual field defect, vitreous detachment, vitreous disorder, vitreous floaters, and worsened visual acuity.
The following reactions were reported in less than 1% of subjects: corneal erosion, hordeolum, nasal dryness, and taste perversion.
Postmarketing ExperienceThe following reactions have been identified during postmarketing use of brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solutions in clinical practice. Because they are reported voluntarily from a population of unknown size, estimates of frequency cannot be made. The reactions, which have been chosen for inclusion due to either their seriousness, frequency of reporting, possible causal connection to brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solutions, or a combination of these factors, include: bradycardia, depression, hypersensitivity, iritis, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, miosis, nausea, skin reactions (including erythema, eyelid pruritus, rash, and vasodilation), syncope, and tachycardia. Apnea, bradycardia, coma, hypotension, hypothermia, hypotonia, lethargy, pallor, respiratory depression, and somnolence have been reported in infants receiving brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solutions.
DRUG INTERACTIONSAntihypertensives/Cardiac Glycosides Because ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) may reduce blood pressure, caution in using drugs such as antihypertensives and/or cardiac glycosides with ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) is advised.
CNS DepressantsAlthough specific drug interaction studies have not been conducted with ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) , the possibility of an additive or potentiating effect with CNS depressants (alcohol, barbiturates, opiates, sedatives, or anesthetics) should be considered.
Tricyclic AntidepressantsTricyclic antidepressants have been reported to blunt the hypotensive effect of systemic clonidine. It is not known whether the concurrent use of these agents with ALPHAGAN® P (brimonidine tartrate) in humans can lead to resulting interference with the IOP lowering effect. Caution is advised in patients taking tricyclic antidepressants which can affect the metabolism and uptake of circulating amines.
Monoamine Oxidase InhibitorsMonoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors may theoretically interfere with the metabolism of brimonidine and potentially result in an increased systemic side-effect such as hypotension. Caution is advised in patients taking MAO inhibitors which can affect the metabolism and uptake of circulating amines.
Alphagan-p is prescribed in ophthalmology for the management of elevated intraocular pressure, including pressure associated with glaucoma and ocular hypertension. As an eye-drop preparation, it is part of a category of treatments aimed at lowering pressure inside the eye to protect the optic nerve over time. The structured indication block further down this page lists each registered use as recognised in the countries where Alphagan-p is sold.
Alphagan-p contains brimonidine, a molecule used in ophthalmological preparations for lowering intraocular pressure. The same active ingredient circulates internationally under several different brand names, both as a single-ingredient eye drop and as a component of combination ophthalmic products. A local pharmacist can confirm which brimonidine-containing products are registered in a given country.
Alphagan-p is registered in 14 countries, spread across the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and the Eastern Mediterranean. Examples include the United States, Australia, India, Turkey, Chile, Singapore, and the Philippines. If your country is not on this list, brimonidine itself may still be available locally under a different brand name, and a pharmacist or ophthalmologist can confirm what is on the regional formulary.
Brimonidine is sold under multiple brand names internationally and also appears as a component of certain combination eye-drop products used in glaucoma and ocular hypertension management. Other ophthalmological agents used to lower intraocular pressure exist as well, although they are not freely interchangeable. To identify a brimonidine-containing product locally, search the active ingredient on Pill2Trip or ask a pharmacist or eye specialist.
Yes. Alphagan-p is a prescription ophthalmic medication, and therapy aimed at controlling intraocular pressure is calibrated to a patient's eye health, broader medical history, and other concurrent treatments. This matters especially for travellers and people relocating between countries, since prescription rules, available brands, and follow-up monitoring practices differ. Any change in glaucoma or ocular-pressure therapy belongs in a conversation with an ophthalmologist or healthcare provider.
