Role of short-acting nitroglycerin in the management of ischemic heart disease

Drug Design, Development and Therapy
William E BodenMandeep S Sidhu

Abstract

Nitroglycerin is the oldest and most commonly prescribed short-acting anti-anginal agent; however, despite its long history of therapeutic usage, patient and health care provider education regarding the clinical benefits of the short-acting formulations in patients with angina remains under-appreciated. Nitrates predominantly induce vasodilation in large capacitance blood vessels, increase epicardial coronary arterial diameter and coronary collateral blood flow, and impair platelet aggregation. The potential for the prophylactic effect of short-acting nitrates remains an under-appreciated part of optimal medical therapy to reduce angina and decrease myocardial ischemia, thereby enhancing the quality of life. Short-acting nitroglycerin, administered either as a sublingual tablet or spray, can complement anti-anginal therapy as part of optimal medical therapy in patients with refractory and recurrent angina either with or without myocardial revascularization, and is most commonly used to provide rapid therapeutic relief of acute recurrent angina attacks. When administered prophylactically, both formulations increase angina-free walking time on treadmill testing, abolish or delay ST segment depression, and increase exercise tolera...Continue Reading

Citations

Jun 18, 2016·Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy·Jason M Tarkin, Juan Carlos Kaski
Sep 15, 2017·Irish Journal of Medical Science·C ConnollyP Grace
May 15, 2018·Frontiers in Pharmacology·Dongqing GuoXing Chen
Aug 12, 2021·American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology·Takuto HamaokaJian Cui

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