isosorbide mononitrate vs nitroglycerin
Side-by-side comparison of isosorbide mononitrate and nitroglycerin Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Imdur
Nitrostat, Nitro-Dur
Isosorbide mononitrate is a medicine that helps prevent chest pain. It relaxes your blood vessels, so your heart doesn't have to work as hard.
Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets help to relieve chest pain (angina) due to heart disease. They work by widening blood vessels to improve blood flow.
This medicine is used to prevent angina, a type of chest pain. Angina is caused by heart disease. This medicine will not help if you are having chest pain right now.
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.
Isosorbide mononitrate is a nitrate. It works by relaxing the muscles in your blood vessels. This allows more blood and oxygen to flow to your heart while reducing its workload.
Nitroglycerin is a nitrate vasodilator. It widens your blood vessels. This lets more blood flow to your heart and reduces chest pain.
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Tingling
- Shortness of breath 1,503
- Feeling lightheaded or unsteady 1,397
- Loose or watery stools 1,249
- Feeling tired or weak 1,242
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,231
- Shortness of breath 4,152
- Pain 3,624
- Tiredness 3,492
- Heart attack 3,394
- Feeling sick to your stomach 3,265
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to nitrates or nitrites.
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.
It is not known if this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if this medicine passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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 isosorbide mononitrate vs nitroglycerin Comparison
isosorbide mononitrate is classified in the Nitrate Vasodilator drug class, while nitroglycerin sits within the Nitrate Vasodilator class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. 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, isosorbide mononitrate has 6,622 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. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. 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 isosorbide mononitrate 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.