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Tiotropium and glaucoma risk — GPhC CRA MCQ

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HardRespiratory TherapeuticsTiotropium and glaucoma riskGPhC CRA

A 58-year-old woman with COPD and narrow-angle glaucoma is newly prescribed tiotropium inhaler. She asks whether it is safe because she sometimes gets blurred vision. What would you advise the patient?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: ECounsel on correct inhaler use and to seek help for acute eye pain or visual halos

Inhaled antimuscarinics can precipitate or worsen narrow-angle glaucoma if the medicine enters the eyes. The patient should be counselled on technique, avoiding eye exposure, and seeking urgent advice for acute eye pain, red eye, or halos. The prescription may still be appropriate but warrants careful counselling and prescriber awareness.

Reference: BNF; SmPC