Nitrostat Sublingual Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Nitrostat Sublingual Tablet contains nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate), a vasodilator and antianginal medicine. It is placed under the tongue to relieve chest pain (angina) quickly or to prevent an attack before activities likely to trigger it. It works by widening blood vessels so more blood and oxygen reach the heart, easing the heart's workload.

What is Nitrostat Sublingual Tablet

Nitrostat is a sublingual tablet containing nitroglycerin, a nitrate medicine that widens blood vessels to treat chest pain (angina).

Nitrostat Sublingual Tablet uses

• Acute relief of an angina attack (chest pain)
• Prevention of angina attacks before activities that might trigger chest pain

Benefits of Nitrostat Sublingual Tablet

• Rapidly relieves angina (chest pain)
• Dilates blood vessels
• Reduces the heart's workload
• Acts quickly when dissolved under the tongue

How Nitrostat Sublingual Tablet works

Nitrostat works by relaxing the walls of blood vessels, which widens them. This lets more blood and oxygen reach the heart and lowers the heart's workload, relieving the chest pain of angina.

Nitrostat Sublingual Tablet dosage

Place one tablet under the tongue or between the gum and cheek at the first sign of chest pain. Do not chew, crush, or swallow the tablet. Sit down and rest when taking the medicine, since it can cause dizziness or fainting, especially when standing up. A dose may be repeated about every five minutes if chest pain continues. Seek emergency medical help if chest pain continues after three doses within fifteen minutes, or if the pain feels different than usual.

The tablet may also be used five to ten minutes before an activity expected to bring on chest pain. Stand up slowly after taking a dose to reduce dizziness or light-headedness. Keep tablets in their original container and take them exactly as your doctor or pharmacist tells you.

Available forms and strengths

• Sublingual tablets: 0.3 mg, 0.4 mg, 0.6 mg

Side effects of Nitrostat Sublingual Tablet

Common

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Flushing (warmth, redness, or tingling of the skin)
• Low blood pressure when standing up, which can cause light-headedness or fainting
• Sweating
• Paleness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Numbness, tingling, or burning sensation

Serious

• Allergic reaction with swelling of the face, lips, or tongue and difficulty breathing
• Fainting or unusually rapid or slow heartbeat
• Severe or persistent throbbing headaches
• Skin reactions such as rash, blistering, or peeling
• Blurred vision or dry mouth
• Signs of a heart attack: chest pain or pressure, pain spreading to the jaw or shoulder, sweating, nausea

Warnings and precautions

• Never take this medicine together with erectile dysfunction drugs like sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), or vardenafil (Levitra), because the combination can cause a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
• Do not use this medicine if you are taking riociguat or similar drugs for pulmonary hypertension, since combining them can seriously lower blood pressure.
• Do not use this medicine if you have had a very recent heart attack, severe anemia, or increased pressure inside the head.
• If you use this medicine regularly to prevent angina, do not stop suddenly, as this could trigger a severe angina attack.
• Using too much of this medicine can be dangerous and even fatal, causing severe headache, vomiting, fast or slow heartbeat, vision problems, or fainting.
• There is not enough research on using this medicine during pregnancy. It should only be used if your doctor decides it is clearly needed, and you should tell your doctor right away if you become or are trying to become pregnant.
• It isn't known whether this medicine passes into breast milk, so caution is advised if you are breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor before using it while nursing.
• No dose change is needed for people with kidney failure. Significant liver disease should be clinically assessed.
• Do not drink alcohol while using this medicine, as the combination can lower blood pressure and increase dizziness or fainting.
• Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine affects you, since it may cause dizziness or fainting.

Storage

• Store at controlled room temperature, 15-30°C
• Keep NITROSTAT in the original glass container and tightly capped after each use
• Store in a cool dry place away from moisture, heat or sunlight; do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, or on window sills
• Keep out of the sight and reach of children
• If you no longer need the medicine or it is out of date, take it to a pharmacy for safe disposal
• Do not use after the expiry date

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help right away if your chest pain continues after three tablets taken over fifteen minutes, or if it feels different from your usual angina.
• Stop taking the medicine and get emergency help if you notice swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, trouble breathing, hives, or other signs of a severe allergic reaction.
• Call your doctor right away if you have severe or persistent headaches, pounding or fluttering heartbeat, a slow heart rate, feeling like you might pass out, blurred vision, or dry mouth.
• Seek emergency care if you suspect you have taken too much of this medicine, even if you don't feel unwell.