Topical timolol and serum lipoproteins.

Oral timolol taken for the treatment of systemic hypertension has been shown to affect adversely serum lipoprotein levels. In a 15-week study on 19 patients topical timolol therapy for raised intraocular pressure was found to have no significant adverse effect on serum lipoprotein levels. This is reassuring in view of the large number of patients on this form of long term therapy, and selection of the type of beta blocker to use should not be influenced by lipid changes associated with the oral form of the drug.