Trimetazidine: a second look. Still no efficacy in visual disorders

(1) The current French indications for trimetazidine in loss of visual acuity and visual field disorders of presumed vascular origin cover a plethora of ophthalmological and neurological disorders. (2) The rare published clinical trials, all of which are flawed, fail to prove the efficacy of trimetazidine for these indications. (3) Data on adverse reactions to trimetazidine are inadequate. Rare but serious side effects cannot be ruled out. (4) Trimetazidine-based preparations are costly, especially given their doubtful benefit. (5) In practice, trimetazidine is no more than a placebo in its ophthalmological uses. In our opinion, the risk of side effects (albeit low) and the possibility that a trimetazidine prescription may reduce elderly patients' adherence to other, truly beneficial treatments, mean that prescribers should simply ignore these products.