isradipine vs nitroglycerin

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Side-by-side comparison of isradipine 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 Nitroglycerin: Isradipine has been safely coadministered with nitroglycerin.

Drug Class
isradipine Calcium Channel Blocker
nitroglycerin Nitrate Vasodilator
Type
isradipine Prescription
nitroglycerin Prescription
Summary
isradipine

Isradipine is a drug that helps lower high blood pressure. It belongs to a class of drugs called calcium channel blockers.

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
isradipine

Isradipine capsules are used to treat high blood pressure. You can take it alone or with a thiazide diuretic (water pill). It may take 2 to 4 weeks to see the full effect.

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
isradipine

Isradipine blocks calcium from entering certain cells. This action relaxes blood vessels, which lowers blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure helps prevent strokes, heart attacks, and kidney problems.

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
isradipine
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Swelling in ankles or feet
  • Feeling your heart beat rapidly or irregularly
  • Fatigue
nitroglycerin
  • Headache
  • Dizziness
  • Tingling
FAERS Reports
isradipine
  • Drug Interaction 32
  • Dyspnoea 31
  • Hypertension 29
  • Acute Kidney Injury 26
  • Nausea 26
nitroglycerin
  • Dyspnoea 4,151
  • Pain 3,626
  • Fatigue 3,491
  • Myocardial Infarction 3,393
  • Nausea 3,266
Serious Warnings
isradipine

If you are taking cimetidine, your doctor should watch you closely for side effects when you start isradipine. If you are taking rifampicin, isradipine may not work as well.

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
isradipine

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if isradipine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking isradipine while 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 isradipine vs nitroglycerin Comparison

isradipine is classified in the Calcium Channel Blocker 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, isradipine has 144 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 these two drugs both work to relax blood vessels, but they are generally considered safe to use at the same time.. 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 isradipine or nitroglycerin.

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