- Prostaglandin medications are often used in newborns with congenital heart problems to constrict blood vessels until surgery can be done. It also is used in infants with blood clotting problems, as prostaglandin helps in blood clotting. Side effects can be serious and can include cardiac distress, fever, and jitteriness. Gastric outlet obstruction has also been observed in newborns under prostaglandin treatment.
- Prostaglandins are used to induce labor, particularly when pregnancy is overdue. It initiates contractions of the smooth muscles of the uterus. It is sometimes administered as a gel placed into the birth canal. Side effects can include fever, diarrhea, hemorrhage, a need for Caesarean section, asphyxia of the newborn, and hypotonia in the newborn.
- Prostaglandin medications are used to induce abortions to terminate pregnancy. Side effects can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, flushing, chills, headache, and respiratory symptoms.
- Prostaglandins are used to treat erectile dysfunction in men. Side effects can be pain at the site of injection, urethral and testicular pain, bleeding, apnea, fever, seizure, edema, cardiac arrhythmia and priapism. Because of the seriousness of side effects, those treated with prostaglandins for erectile dysfunction should be under close supervision by a physician.
- Prostaglandins are routinely used to treat glaucoma to decrease inflammation and intraocular pressure. Side effects range can from simple cosmetic reactions to life-threatening issues. Cosmetic side effects such as lengthening and darkening of eyelashes, darkening of the iris, and pigmentation problems around the eyes can occur. Blurring, itching, burning, or skin rash also might result. More serious side effects such as macular edema, cysts of the iris, and resumption of herpes simplex keratitis can occur in some patients.
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