American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Practice Test

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What side effect can timolol eye drops cause in the elderly?

Increased heart rate
Bradycardia and syncope
Dry eyes
Eye redness

The correct answer is: Bradycardia and syncope

Timolol eye drops are a non-selective beta-blocker commonly used in the management of intraocular pressure in conditions such as glaucoma. In elderly patients, one of the notable side effects of timolol is bradycardia, which is a slower than normal heart rate. This occurs because the medication can affect the heart’s beta-adrenergic receptors, leading to decreased heart rate and possibly resulting in syncope, which is a temporary loss of consciousness due to a fall in blood pressure. Elderly patients are particularly susceptible to the systemic effects of timolol because their cardiovascular system may be less resilient and they may have comorbid conditions or be on concurrent medications that further affect heart rate and blood pressure. Therefore, close monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure is advised when prescribing timolol in older adults, as they may experience significant bradycardia and related complications.