Classification
Much of the language used for describing congenital conditions antedates genome mapping, and structural conditions are often considered separately from other congenital conditions. Many metabolic conditions are now known to have subtle structural expression, and structural conditions often have genetic links. Still, congenital conditions are often classified on a structural basis, organized when possible by primary organ system affected. Primarily structural
Several terms are used to describe congenital abnormalities. (Some of these are also used to describe noncongenital conditions, and more than one term may apply in an individual condition.) Terminology
A congenital physical anomaly is an abnormality of the structure of a body part. It may or may not be perceived as a problem condition. Many, if not most, people have one or more minor physical anomalies if examined carefully. Examples of minor anomalies can include curvature of the fifth finger (clinodactyly), a third nipple, tiny indentations of the skin near the ears (preauricular pits), shortness of the fourth metacarpal or metatarsal bones, or dimples over the lower spine (sacral dimples). Some minor anomalies may be clues to more significant internal abnormalities. Birth defect is a widely used term for a congenital malformation, i.e. a congenital, physical anomaly that is recognizable at birth, and which is significant enough to be considered a problem. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most birth defects are believed to be caused by a complex mix of factors including genetics, environment, and behaviors, though many birth defects have no known cause.
Brinzolamide/brimonidine, sold under the brand name Simbrinza, is a fixed-dose combination medication used to reduce intra-ocular pressure (pressure inside the eye) in adults with ocular hypertension (high intra-ocular pressure) or in those with an eye condition known as open-angle glaucoma. It contains brinzolamide and brimonidine tartrate. It is used as an eye drop.The most common side effects include ocular hyperaemia (red eye), allergic reactions in the eye, and dysgeusia (taste disturbances).Open-angle glaucoma (a condition where the aqueous humour, the watery fluid inside the eyeball, cannot drain away properly) and other causes of high pressure in the eye increase the risk of damage to the retina and the optic nerve (the nerve that sends signals from the eye to the brain). This can result in serious vision loss and even blindness.The active substances, brinzolamide and brimonidine tartrate, help to reduce intra-ocular pressure by reducing the production of aqueous humour. Brinzolamide works by blocking an enzyme called carbonic anhydrase, which produces bicarbonate needed for the production of the aqueous humour, while brimonidine tartrate blocks another enzyme known as adenylate cyclase, which is also involved in the production of the aqueous humour. Brimonidine also increases the drainage of aqueous humour from the front of the eye.Brinzolamide/brimonidine was approved for medical use in the United States in April 2013, and in the European Union in July 2014. Medical uses
Brinzolamide/brimonidine is indicated to decrease of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in adults with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension for whom monotherapy provides insufficient IOP reduction.