Brimonidine Tartrate

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Potentiation of vascular insufficiency. ( 5.1 ) 5.1 Potentiation of Vascular Insufficiency Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution may potentiate syndromes associated with vascular insufficiency. Brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution should be used with caution in patients with depression, cerebral or coronary insufficiency, Raynaud’s phenomenon, orthostatic hypotension, or thromboangiitis obliterans. 5.2 Severe Cardiovascular Disease Although 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. 5.3 Contamination of Topical Ophthalmic Products After Use There 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 Counseling Information ( 17 )]. 5.4 Use with Contact Lenses The preservative in brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution, benzalkonium chloride, may be absorbed by soft contact lenses. Patients wearing soft contact lenses should be instructed to wait at least 15 minutes after instilling brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution to insert soft contact lenses.

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following serious adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: • Potentiation of Vascular Insufficiency [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] • Severe Cardiovascular Disease [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] • Contamination of Topical Ophthalmic Products after Use [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] • Neonates and Infants (under the age of 2 years) [see Contraindications ( 4.1 )] Most common adverse reactions occurring in approximately 10 to 30% of patients receiving brimonidine ophthalmic solution 0.2% included oral dryness, ocular hyperemia, burning and stinging, headache, blurring, foreign body sensation, fatigue/drowsiness, conjunctival follicles, ocular allergic reactions, and ocular pruritus. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Sandoz Inc. at 1-800-525-8747 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Studies Experience 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 10-30% of the subjects (in descending order): oral dryness, ocular hyperemia, burning and stinging, headache, blurring, foreign body sensation, fatigue/drowsiness, conjunctival follicles, ocular allergic reactions, and ocular pruritus. • Adverse reactions occurring in approximately 3-9% of the subjects (in descending order): corneal staining/erosion, photophobia, eyelid erythema, ocular ache/pain, ocular dryness, tearing, upper respiratory symptoms, eyelid edema, conjunctival edema, dizziness, blepharitis, ocular irritation, gastrointestinal symptoms, asthenia, conjunctival blanching, abnormal vision and muscular pain. • Adverse reactions reported < 3% of the patients: lid crusting, conjunctival hemorrhage, abnormal taste, insomnia, conjunctival discharge, depression, hypertension, anxiety, palpitations/arrhythmias, nasal dryness and syncope. 6.2 Postmarketing Experience The 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; conjunctivitis; hypersensitivity; hypotension; iritis; keratoconjunctivitis sicca; lacrimation increased; miosis; nausea; skin reactions (including erythema, eyelid pruritus, rash, and vasodilation); and tachycardia. • Apnea, bradycardia, coma, hypotension, hypothermia, hypotonia, lethargy, pallor, respiratory depression, and somnolence in infants receiving brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solutions.