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Compare Pilocarpine vs. Combigan

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

  • Pilocarpine (Salagen)
    Combigan (brimonidine / timolol)
  • Pilocarpine (Salagen)
    Combigan (brimonidine / timolol)

  • Summary of Pilocarpine vs. Combigan

    Summary for Cholinergic agonist
    Prescription only

    Pilocarpine (Salagen) is a cholinergic agonist that's used to help certain adults with dry mouth. It's a tablet that's taken by mouth 3 to 4 times per day. Side effects can include sweating, nausea, and runny nose. It's important to tell your provider and pharmacist about your medical history and your other medications because pilocarpine (Salagen) can sometimes worsen certain medical conditions and interact with many different medications.

    Summary for Alpha agonist / Beta blocker
    Prescription only

    Combigan is a combination eye drop containing brimonidine (an alpha agonist) and timolol (a beta blocker). It's used to lower high pressure inside the eye in adults with conditions like glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Typically, you apply one drop to the affected eye(s) twice daily, about 12 hours apart. Common side effects include eye redness, itching, or dryness. Combigan (brimonidine / timolol) is available as both a brand-name and generic medication.

  • Indications of Pilocarpine vs. Combigan

    Indications for
    •Dry mouth due to radiation therapy for head and neck cancer
    •Dry mouth due to Sjögren's syndrome
    Indications for

    Treatment of high pressure in the eye in people ages 2 years and older with:

    •Ocular hypertension
    •Open-angle glaucoma

  • Pros and Cons of Pilocarpine vs. Combigan

    Pros and Const for Cholinergic agonist
    Pros
    •Works well to help with dry mouth
    •Can start to work quickly (about 20 minutes)
    •Available as a lower-cost, generic medication
    Cons
    •Need to take 3 or 4 times a day
    •Can take several weeks to get the most benefit from the medication
    •Can have a lot of side effects since the medication can reach and affect many parts of your body
    Pros and Const for Alpha agonist / Beta blocker
    Pros
    •Convenient to have a single eye drop that combines two different medications
    •Can be stored at room temperature
    •Possible option for children older than 2 years old
    Cons
    •Used twice a day
    •Can cause tiredness or drowsiness in some people
    •Not for people with asthma, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), or certain heart-related problems

  • Common Side Effects of Pilocarpine vs. Combigan

    Common Side Effects for

    Treatment of dry mouth from radiation:

    •Sweating (up to 68%)
    •Nausea (up to 15%)
    •Chills (up to 15%)
    •Runny nose (up to 14%)
    •Flushing (up to 13%)
    •Frequent urination (up to 12%)
    •Weakness (up to 12%)
    •Dizziness (up to 12%)

    Treatment of dry mouth from Sjögren's syndrome:

    •Sweating (40%)
    •Frequent urination (10%)
    •Flushing (9%)
    •Chills (4%)
    Common Side Effects for

    Reported in up to 15% of people in clinical studies:

    •Eye redness
    •Eye itching
    •Eye burning or stinging

  • Warnings of Pilocarpine vs. Combigan

    Common Side Effects for
    •Possible worsening of medical conditions
    •Vision changes
    •Dose too high
    Common Side Effects for
    •Only use in the eye
    •Allergic reaction of the eye
    •Interaction with inhaled beta agonists for asthma or COPD
    •Worsening heart problems
    •Worsening of other medical conditions
    •Masked symptoms of low blood sugar in people with diabetes
    •Masked symptoms of high thyroid hormone levels (hyperthyroidism)

  • Prices with our coupons for Pilocarpine vs. Combigan

    Learn more about Pilocarpine
    Learn more about Combigan

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