aspirin vs nitroglycerin

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Side-by-side comparison of aspirin and nitroglycerin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

Drug interactions Aspirin: Coadministration of nitroglycerin with high dose aspirin (1000 mg) results in increased exposure to nitroglycerin. The vasodilatory and hemodynamic effects of nitroglycerin may be enhanced by concomitant administration of nitroglycerin with high dose aspirin.

Drug Class
aspirin Antiplatelet / NSAID
nitroglycerin Nitrate Vasodilator
Type
aspirin Over-the-Counter
nitroglycerin Prescription
Summary
aspirin

Aspirin is a common medicine used to relieve minor pain. It can also be prescribed by your doctor for other uses.

nitroglycerin

Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets help to relieve chest pain (angina) due to heart disease. They work by widening blood vessels to improve blood flow.

What It Treats
aspirin

Aspirin is used to temporarily relieve minor aches and pains. However, it works slowly. It will not quickly relieve headaches or other symptoms that need immediate relief. Ask your doctor about other uses for this medicine.

nitroglycerin

This medicine treats chest pain called angina. Angina is caused by heart disease. Nitroglycerin can relieve an attack or prevent angina before activities that may cause it.

How It Works
aspirin

Aspirin belongs to a class of drugs called NSAIDs and antiplatelets. It works by reducing substances in the body that cause pain and inflammation. It also helps to prevent blood clots.

nitroglycerin

Nitroglycerin is a nitrate vasodilator. It widens your blood vessels. This lets more blood flow to your heart and reduces chest pain.

Common Side Effects
aspirin
  • Upset stomach
  • Heartburn
nitroglycerin
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Tingling
FAERS Reports
aspirin
  • Fatigue 31,963
  • Dyspnoea 27,179
  • Nausea 26,579
  • Diarrhoea 26,452
  • Dizziness 22,390
nitroglycerin
  • Dyspnoea 4,151
  • Pain 3,626
  • Fatigue 3,491
  • Myocardial Infarction 3,393
  • Nausea 3,266
Serious Warnings
aspirin

No specific warnings noted.

nitroglycerin

Taking too much nitroglycerin can lead to tolerance, where the drug stops working as well. Nitroglycerin can also cause very low blood pressure, especially if you stand up quickly. If chest pain continues after 3 tablets, get medical help right away.

Pregnancy
aspirin

Ask your doctor for advice if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

nitroglycerin

It is not known if nitroglycerin will harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if nitroglycerin passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This aspirin vs nitroglycerin Comparison

aspirin is classified in the Antiplatelet / NSAID drug class, while nitroglycerin sits within the Nitrate Vasodilator class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, aspirin has 134,563 submissions while nitroglycerin has 17,927. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to taking high doses of aspirin can increase the amount of nitroglycerin in your blood. this makes the nitroglycerin work more strongly to widen your blood vessels and lower your blood pressure.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for aspirin or nitroglycerin.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.