Carteolol

Mechanism-of-action classes: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Adrenergic beta1-Antagonists; Adrenergic beta2-Antagonists.

• Carteolol Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution 1% has been shown to be effective in lowering intraocular pressure and may be used in patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma and intraocular hypertension. It may be used alone or in combination with other intraocular pressure lowering medications.ICD-10: H40.9

• Carteolol is contraindicated in those individuals with bronchial asthma or with a history of bronchial asthma, or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (see WARNINGS ); sinus bradycardia; second- and third-degree atrioventricular block; overt cardiac failure (see WARNINGS ); cardiogenic shock; or hypersensivity to any component of this product.contraindicated

The usual dose is one drop of Carteolol Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution 1% in the affected eye(s) twice a day. If the patient's IOP is not at a satisfactory level on this regimen, concomitant therapy with pilocarpine and other miotics, and/or epinephrine or dipivefrin, and/or systemically administered carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, such as acetazolamide, can be instituted.

Carteolol has not been detected in plasma following ocular instillation. However, as with other topically applied ophthalmic preparations, Carteolol may be absorbed systemically. The same adverse reactions found with systemic administration of beta-adrenergic blocking agents may occur with topical administration. For example, severe respiratory reactions and cardiac reactions, including death due to bronchospasm in patients with asthma, and rarely death in association with cardiac failure, have been reported with topical application of beta-adrenergic blocking agents (see CONTRAINDICATIONS ). Cardiac Failure: Sympathetic stimulation may be essential for support of the circulation in individuals with diminished myocardial contractility, and its inhibition by beta-adrenergic receptor blockade may precipitate more severe failure. In Patients Without a History of Cardiac Failure: Continued depression of the myocardium with beta-blocking agents over a period of time can, in some cases, lead to cardiac failure. At the first sign or symptom of cardiac failure, Carteolol Hydrochloride should be discontinued. Non-Allergic Bronchospasm: In patients with non-allergic bronchospasm or with a history of non-allergic bronchospasm (e.g., chronic bronchitis, emphysema), Carteolol Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution should be administered with caution since it may block bronchodilation produced by endogenous and exogenous catecholamine stimulation of beta 2 receptors.

The following adverse reactions have been reported in clinical trials with Carteolol Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution. Ocular: Transient eye irritation, burning, tearing, conjunctival hyperemia and edema occurred in about 1 of 4 patients. Ocular symptoms including blurred and cloudy vision, photophobia, decreased night vision, and ptosis and ocular signs including blepharoconjunctivitis, abnormal corneal staining, and corneal sensitivity occurred occasionally. Systemic: As is characteristic of nonselective adrenergic blocking agents, Carteolol may cause bradycardia and decreased blood pressure (See WARNINGS ). The following systemic events have occasionally been reported with the use of Carteolol Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution: cardiac arrhythmia, heart palpitation, dyspnea, asthenia, headache, dizziness, insomnia, sinusitis, and taste perversion. The following additional adverse reactions have been reported with ophthalmic use of beta 1 and beta 2 (nonselective) adrenergic receptor blocking agents: Body As a Whole: Headache Cardiovascular: Arrhythmia, syncope, heart block, cerebral vascular accident, cerebral ischemia, congestive heart failure, palpitation (see WARNINGS ).

Pregnancy

No specific information on emergency treatment of overdosage in humans is available. Should accidental ocular overdosage occur, flush eye(s) with water or normal saline. The most common effects expected with overdosage of a beta-adrenergic blocking agent are bradycardia, bronchospasm, congestive heart failure and hypotension. In case of ingestion, treatment with Carteolol Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution should be discontinued and gastric lavage considered. The patient should be closely observed and vital signs carefully monitored. The prolonged effects of carteolol must be considered when determining the duration of corrective therapy. On the basis of the pharmacologic profile, the following additional measures should be considered as appropriate: Symptomatic Sinus Bradycardia or Heart Block: Administer atropine. If there is no response to vagal blockade, administer isoproterenol cautiously. Bronchospasm: Administer a beta 2 -stimulating agent such as isoproterenol and/or a theophylline derivative. Congestive Heart Failure: Administer diuretics and digitalis glycosides as necessary.

• Jan 3, 2000ANDAANDA075476Sandoz

1. 1Intraocular Pressure Increased175.2%
2. 2Cataract144.3%
3. 3Drug Ineffective134.0%
4. 4Malaise134.0%
5. 5Bradycardia113.4%
6. 6Eye Pain113.4%
7. 7Visual Acuity Reduced113.4%
8. 8Off Label Use103.0%
9. 9Diarrhoea92.7%
10. 10Anaemia82.4%
11. 11Dizziness82.4%
12. 12Nausea82.4%
13. 13Asthenia72.1%
14. 14Blood Creatine Phosphokinase Increased72.1%
15. 15Condition Aggravated72.1%

Recent PubMed references pinned to Carteolol as a MeSH major topic. Citations link to pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

• 0.01% atropine combined with carteolol hydrochloride can inhibit the scleral remodeling in guinea pigs with form-deprivation myopia.
  Scientific reports · 2025 · Xiang Q, Yang J, Liu Q, et al.
  PMID 40790141DOI 10.1038/s41598-025-12800-2
• Efficacy of topical 2% carteolol in the treatment of infantile hemangiomas: a dermoscopic and clinical evaluation.
  Archives of dermatological research · 2025 · Ünal E, Yücel MB, Gedikli SN, et al.
  PMID 40208332DOI 10.1007/s00403-025-04190-2
• Effect of treatment with carteolol and latanoprost in newly diagnosed primary open-angle glaucoma on peripapillary vessel density.
  Biomedical papers of the Medical Faculty of the University Palacky, Olomouc, Czechoslovakia · 2025 · Lestak J, Fus M, Pitrova S, et al.
  PMID 38516775DOI 10.5507/bp.2024.010
• Further exploration of the collision-induced dissociation of select beta blockers: Acebutolol, atenolol, bisoprolol, carteolol, and labetalol.
  Journal of mass spectrometry : JMS · 2023 · Carlo MJ, Patrick AL
  PMID 37990768DOI 10.1002/jms.4985
• Persistence of the carteolol hydrochloride/latanoprost fixed-combination ophthalmic solution, compared with the other β-blocker/prostanoid FP receptor agonist fixed-combination ophthalmic solutions.
  Japanese journal of ophthalmology · 2023 · Kashiwagi K, Ouchi K, Shibasaki Y, et al.
  PMID 37596443DOI 10.1007/s10384-023-01020-8
• Carteolol triggers senescence via activation of β-arrestin-ERK-NOX4-ROS pathway in human corneal endothelial cells in vitro.
  Chemico-biological interactions · 2023 · Jiang GJ, You XG, Fan TJ, et al.
  PMID 37120125DOI 10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110511
• Life-threatening Vasospastic Angina Induced by Carteolol Eye Drops.
  Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) · 2023 · Eto R, Kawano H, Suzuki A, et al.
  PMID 36476545DOI 10.2169/internalmedicine.0495-22
• Beta-blocker carteolol and oxprenolol produce cutaneous analgesia in response to needle pinpricks in the rat.
  Neurological research · 2023 · Chou AK, Chen YW
  PMID 36403147DOI 10.1080/01616412.2022.2148511

The 4 most recently updated of 4 ClinicalTrials.gov registrations naming Carteolol as an intervention. Registration is not evidence of efficacy or safety — reference crosswalk only.

• Efficacy and Safety Study of OPC-1085EL Ophthalmic Solution in Subjects With Glaucoma or Ocular Hypertension
  Completed · Phase 3 · Interventional · 193 enrolled · Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
  NCT02105285updated 2015-12-28
• Pharmacokinetic Study of OPC-1085EL Ophthalmic Solution in Healthy Male Adult Volunteers
  Completed · Phase 1 · Interventional · 30 enrolled · Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
  NCT02108288updated 2015-04-22
• Coreg and HSRs-Updated Analysis
  Completed · Observational · 1 enrolled · GlaxoSmithKline
  NCT01316952updated 2015-04-15
• A Study to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety Effects Using Mikelan® LA Ophthalmic Solution (OS) 2% Versus Timoptol® XE Ophthalmic Solution (OS) 0.5% in Ocular Hypertension Patients
  Completed · Phase 4 · Interventional · 32 enrolled · Taiwan Otsuka Pharm. Co., Ltd
  NCT00972426updated 2011-09-05

Frequently asked questions

How does Carteolol work?

Mechanism-of-action classes: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; Adrenergic beta1-Antagonists; Adrenergic beta2-Antagonists.

What is Carteolol used for?

According to FDA labeling, Carteolol carries indications including: Carteolol Hydrochloride Ophthalmic Solution 1% has been shown to be effective in lowering intraocular pressure and may be used in patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma and intraocular hypertension. It may be used alone or in combination with other intraocular pressure lowering medications.. This is a reference summary of labeled uses, not medical advice or a treatment recommendation.

What class of drug is Carteolol?

Carteolol is classified as Beta blocking agents, Beta blocking agents, non-selective, beta-Adrenergic Blocker, Adrenergic beta-Antagonists, Adrenergic beta1-Antagonists, Adrenergic beta2-Antagonists, Arterial Vasodilation, Decreased Intraocular Aqueous Secretion, Negative Chronotropy, Negative Inotropy.

What are the contraindications for Carteolol?

Carteolol labeling lists contraindications including: Carteolol is contraindicated in those individuals with bronchial asthma or with a history of bronchial asthma, or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (see WARNINGS ); sinus bradycardia; second- and third-degree atrioventricular block; overt cardiac failure (see WARNINGS ); cardiogenic shock; or hypersensivity to any component of this product.. Always consult the full prescribing information and a clinician.