When do you administer nitroglycerin

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects.

This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare professional who knows your medical history. Nitroglycerin sublingual tablet can interact with other medications, vitamins, or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well.

To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. You should not take certain drugs with nitroglycerin. Doing so can cause dangerous effects in your body.

Examples of these drugs include:. When you take nitroglycerin with certain drugs, nitroglycerin may not work as well to treat your condition. This is because the amount of nitroglycerin in your body may be decreased.

However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. Always speak with your healthcare professional about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking.

Drinking alcohol can increase your risk of very low blood pressure from this drug. If you drink alcohol, talk to your doctor. If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. If your symptoms are severe, call or local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency room.

Taking it again could be fatal cause death. A heart attack may cause severe, crushing pain that comes on suddenly. If you have signs of a heart attack, call right away. If you use this drug in this situation, it may lower your heart rate and blood pressure. For pregnant women: Studies of use of this drug in pregnant animals have not shown risk to the fetus.

Therefore, this drug should only be used if the potential benefit justifies potential risk. Call your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this drug. For women who are breastfeeding: Nitroglycerin may pass into breast milk and cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed your child. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medication. For children: This medication has not been studied in children.

It should not be used in people younger than 18 years. This dosage information is for nitroglycerin sublingual tablet. All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. Your dosage, drug form, and how often you take the drug will depend on:. This medication has not been studied in children. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you.

Nitroglycerin sublingual tablet is used for short-term treatment. Take it only when you have chest pain. If you take too much: You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body.

Symptoms of an overdose of this drug can include:. If your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. If your symptoms do not go away completely after you take the first dose, your doctor may tell you to take a second dose after 5 minutes have passed and a third dose 5 minutes after the second dose. Call for emergency medical help right away if your chest pain has not gone away completely 5 minutes after you take the third dose. Do not chew, crush, or swallow nitroglycerin sublingual tablets.

Instead, place the tablet under your tongue or between your cheek and gum and wait for it to dissolve. You may feel burning or tingling in your mouth as the tablet dissolves. This is normal but is not a sign that the tablet is working.

Do not be concerned that the tablet is not working if you do not feel the burning or tingling. This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets are usually taken as needed to treat episodes of angina; do not take them on a regular basis. Nitroglycerin sublingual may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed after each use, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them.

However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.

To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking nitroglycerin sublingual.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription. It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription over-the-counter medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements.

Taking nitroglycerin can lower your blood pressure, which could cause you to pass out if you are standing up. For sudden episodes of angina, use nitroglycerin in a tablet or liquid spray form. Place the under-the-tongue sublingual tablet under your tongue. Leave it there until it dissolves. If you accidentally swallow the tablet, take another.

The medicine won't work if it is swallowed. Place the between-cheek-and-gum buccal tablet between your cheek and gum. Use the spray under your tongue or on top of your tongue. Push the spray canister button once.

Close your mouth right away. Take one tablet or spray dose. If after 5 minutes your angina symptoms are not better or get worse, call or other emergency services immediately. After you call , continue to stay on the phone with the emergency operator. He or she will give you further instructions. Regardless of what happens, you should let your doctor know that you had an episode of angina.

If this is unusual for you, if your angina episodes are occurring more frequently or lasting longer, or if you need more medicine to control them, tell your doctor. Are there side effects or interactions with other drugs that I should be aware of? How should I store nitroglycerin? Can nitroglycerin get old and lose potency? Acute coronary syndromes: American Heart Association guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care.

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