1. Get Blood Flowing
Nitrate pills dilate your blood vessels, relieve chest pain and improve heart function. They are most frequently prescribed to treat angina. Angina causes frequent chest pain due to an inadequate flow of oxygen-rich blood to portions of the heart. Visit your doctor for a complete checkup if you experience chest pain.
While nitrate pills have been used since the late 1800s to treat angina-related chest pain, nitrates do not cure angina, nor do they treat any underlying heart disease. Do not take nitrate pills unless prescribed to do so by your doctor. Nitrates can be fatal if mixed with some medications and can adversely affect other medical conditions. Headaches, low blood pressure and dizziness are side effects of nitrate pills. Some individuals develop a tolerance to nitrate after extended use. Discuss alternative treatments with your doctor if nitrates no longer treat your angina.
2. Different Rates of Absorption
Choose between different forms of nitrates, including isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate and, the most popular, nitroglycerin. Ask your doctor which type of nitrate pill and method of delivery is right for you. Absorb nitrates through your gastrointestinal tract with a daily regime of isosorbide dinitrate or other nitrate preparations. Place fast-acting (sublingual) nitroglycerin tablets under your tongue for more immediate relief of acute angina. Absorb buccal tablets into the body through the mucus membranes in your mouth by placing them between your gum and your cheek.
Ask your pharmacist how long it takes the type of nitrate pill you are prescribed to work. A prescription for slow-acting preventative nitrates will have little to no effect in treating acute angina chest pain. Ask your doctor if fast-acting nitroglycerin sublingual tablets should be part of your angina therapy regime. Beware--it is possible to overdose on nitrates, so follow the recommendations of your doctor and your pharmacist.
3. Keep Nitro Fresh
Use nitrate pills before their expiration date. Nitroglycerin loses its potency after 6 months or if it is exposed to moisture. Keep your nitroglycerin pills at room temperature. Do not store your nitrate pills in or around bathrooms, kitchens or other moist areas. Replace the prescription every 6 months.
If you have taken a fast-acting nitrate pill for treatment of acute angina and your pain has not receded within 15 minutes and after taking three pills, seek emergency assistance. Angina is not a disease, but it may indicate you are having a heart attack.
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