Summary: Eye disease and cardiovascular disease frequently coexist. As a result, cardiologists and ophthalmologists often treat the same patients. Among ophthalmologists it is well known that topical ophthalmic medications are capable ofproducing serious cardiovascular effects, including congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and death. However, cardiologists may not be awae of these potential complications. This article reviews the cardiovascular effects of commonly prescribed topical ocular medications and describes important contraindications to their use in patients with cardiovascular disease. Cardiologists, by making themselves and their patients more aware of the cardiovascular effects of topical ocular medications. may be able to avoid the adverse and potentially fatal complications of these agents.

Diazepam in a dose of 0.05 mg/kg was studied to determine its effect on a subsequently administered dose of 1 mg/kg of succinylcholine. This dose of diazepam prior to succinylcholine (1) significantly diminished the incidence of postoperative muscle pain; (2) decreased the usual increase in serum potassium; (3) did not prevent the rise in creatine phosphokinase; (4) reduced the incidence of muscle fasciculation; and (5) did not affect the magnitude or duration of the succinylcholine neuromuscular block. It was concluded that diazepam had several advantages over d-tubocurarine in the prevention of succinylcholine-induced muscle pain.

In-hospital cardiac medical therapies are underused among patients undergoing CABG. This is particularly true at discharge, where the benefits of these agents for secondary prevention are well established.