glyceryl-trinitrate

Expert Advice

Indications:

This medicine is used for the treatment and prevention of angina, to control hypertension during cardiac surgery, perioperative myocardial ishchemia (heart complications).

Administration:

This medicine is available in oral, sublingual, buccal, aerosol, and injection forms. The dosage for each form is dependent on the patients’ age and response to treatment.

Most of the forms are not recommended for children.

Storage:

Please read the leaflet provided with the medicine for storage guidance. Keep medicine away from excessive light, moisture, and children.

Side Effects:

Postural hypotension (drop in blood presssure resulting from change of posture), throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, flushing, fainting, temporary hypoxemia (decreased oxygen in the blood), rash, application site reactions with transdermal pathches, angle-closure glaucoma, injection site side effects include severe hypotension, sweating, anxiety, restlessness, muscle twitching, chest discomfort, palpitation, abdominal pain, methemoglobinemia (in long term).

Precautions:

Hypothyroidism (decreased thyroid hormones), malnutrition, hypothermia (lower than normal body temperature), recent history of heart attack, heart failure due to obstruction, hypoxemia (low concentration of oxygen in blood) and other ventilation and perfusion abnormalities, susceptibility to angle-closure glaucome, metal containing transdermals should be remonved before MRI procedures, cardioversion (correction of cardiac rhythm), diathermy (heat application to relieve pain), avoid abrupt withdrawal, monitor blood pressure and heart rate during IV infusion.

Effects on pregnancy and lactation:

The effects are undetermined in pregnancy and lactating females; therefore, caution is advised. Consult your healthcare provider before taking this medication.

Contraindications:

Hypersensitivity to nitrates, hypotensive conditions and hypovolemia (decreased blood volume), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickened heart muscle), aortic stenosis (narrowing of aorta), cardiac tamponade (compression of heart due to fluid), constructive pericarditis (inflammation of membrane surrounding the heart), mitral stenosis (narrowed mitral valve), toxic pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs), head trauma, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebrovascular disease, marked anemia.

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