Nitroglycerin

Pronounced ny-tro-GLIS-er-in

Brand names: Nitrostat, Nitro-Dur

Type: Nitrate (blood vessel relaxer) · All Heart & Blood Pressure Medicines

What Nitroglycerin is used for

• Relieving chest pain (angina) attacks
• Preventing chest pain with patches or ointment
• Heart failure and blood pressure emergencies (hospital)

Common side effects

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Flushing
• Rapid heartbeat

Important cautions

• Must never be combined with erection medicines such as sildenafil — the combination can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure
• Tablets lose strength with air and light — keep them in the original glass bottle

How it comes

Tablets under the tongue, spray, patches, ointment, injection (hospital). This guide lists forms only — it never lists strengths or doses.