Which of the following statements regarding proparacaine is true?

Proparacaine is an ester-type local anesthetic. Being an ester means that it is characterized by having a specific chemical structure that typically includes a carbonyl group (C=O) adjacent to an ether group (R-O-R'). This structural classification is significant because it influences how the drug is metabolized and its clinical applications.

Ester local anesthetics, such as proparacaine, are generally less stable than amide local anesthetics in the presence of water and are often quicker to metabolize. This is important to consider when understanding the duration of action of the drug and its potential side effects.

Knowing this information about proparacaine provides insight into its proper use in clinical settings, particularly in ophthalmology where it is commonly used as a topical anesthetic for procedures involving the eye. The rapid onset and short duration of action can be strategically advantageous for certain applications.

The other choices do not accurately represent the properties of proparacaine. For instance, being an amide would mischaracterize its chemical nature, and while there are anesthetics known to exhibit cardiotoxic effects, proparacaine does not prominently feature that as a concern. Lastly, staining tears orange is more characteristic of a different type of agent, not