heparin vs nitroglycerin
Side-by-side comparison of heparin 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
Intravenous nitroglycerin administered to heparinized patients may result in a decrease of the partial thromboplastin time with subsequent rebound effect upon discontinuation of nitroglycerin. Careful monitoring of partial thromboplastin time and adjustment of heparin dosage are recommended during coadministration of heparin and intravenous nitroglycerin.
Recommendation: Your doctor should check your blood clotting levels often and may need to change your heparin dose while you are taking both drugs.
Heparin Sodium
Nitrostat, Nitro-Dur
Heparin is a medicine that helps prevent and treat blood clots. It is given as an injection into a vein or under the skin.
Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets help to relieve chest pain (angina) due to heart disease. They work by widening blood vessels to improve blood flow.
Heparin is used to prevent and treat blood clots in your veins and lungs. It can also prevent clots after surgery or if you have an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. Heparin can also treat blood clotting problems throughout your body and prevent clots during surgery, blood transfusions, or dialysis.
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.
Heparin works by stopping certain proteins in your blood from forming clots. It helps to thin your blood and prevent new clots from forming. It does not dissolve existing blood clots, but it can keep them from getting bigger.
Nitroglycerin is a nitrate vasodilator. It widens your blood vessels. This lets more blood flow to your heart and reduces chest pain.
- • Bleeding
- • Irritation at the injection site
- • Allergic reactions
- • Increased liver enzyme levels
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Tingling
- Low platelets caused by heparin 1,207
- Feeling sick to your stomach 712
- Allergic reaction to the medicine 603
- Throwing up 571
- Low blood pressure 553
- Shortness of breath 4,152
- Pain 3,624
- Tiredness 3,492
- Heart attack 3,394
- Feeling sick to your stomach 3,265
Heparin can cause serious bleeding, which can be fatal. It can also cause a severe reaction called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), where your body attacks your own platelets. Make sure your doctor knows if you have ever had HIT. Using the wrong strength of heparin can also cause fatal bleeding.
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.
If you are pregnant, talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using heparin. Preservative-free heparin is recommended during pregnancy if available. It is not known if heparin passes into breast milk, so it is recommended to avoid breastfeeding while using this medicine.
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.
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How to Read This heparin vs nitroglycerin Comparison
heparin is classified in the Unfractionated Heparin 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 prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, heparin has 3,646 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 nitroglycerin can make heparin less effective at thinning the blood, which changes how quickly the blood clots.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between heparin and nitroglycerin - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.