lidocaine topical vs nitroglycerin
Side-by-side comparison of lidocaine topical and nitroglycerin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
Drugs That May Cause Methemoglobinemia When Used with LIDODERM Patients who are administered local anesthetics are at increased risk of developing methemoglobinemia when concurrently exposed to the following drugs, which could include other local anesthetics: Examples of Drugs Associated with Methemoglobinemia : Class Examples Nitrates/Nitrites nitric oxide, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, nitrous oxide Local anesthetics articaine, benzocaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, procaine, ropivacaine, tetracaine Antineoplastic agents cyclophosphamide, flutamide, hydroxyurea,...
Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor you for signs of low oxygen while you are using both medications. Report any shortness of breath or unusual tiredness to your medical team.
Lidoderm
Nitrostat, Nitro-Dur
Lidoderm is a skin patch that contains the numbing medicine lidocaine. It is used to relieve nerve pain after shingles.
Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets help to relieve chest pain (angina) due to heart disease. They work by widening blood vessels to improve blood flow.
Lidoderm is used to relieve pain caused by post-herpetic neuralgia. This is nerve pain that can happen after you have shingles. The patch should only be applied to skin that is not broken or irritated.
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.
Lidoderm contains lidocaine, a local anesthetic. It works by numbing the area where you apply the patch. This reduces pain signals in that area.
Nitroglycerin is a nitrate vasodilator. It widens your blood vessels. This lets more blood flow to your heart and reduces chest pain.
- • Blisters where you put the patch
- • Bruising where you put the patch
- • Burning feeling where you put the patch
- • Skin color changes where you put the patch
- • Skin irritation where you put the patch
- • Headache
- • Dizziness
- • Tingling
No adverse event reports.
- Shortness of breath 4,152
- Pain 3,624
- Tiredness 3,492
- Heart attack 3,394
- Feeling sick to your stomach 3,265
Using Lidoderm with certain drugs can increase the risk of a blood disorder called methemoglobinemia. Tell your doctor about all other medicines you take.
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.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using Lidoderm. It is not known if Lidoderm can harm your unborn baby. It is also not known if Lidoderm passes into breast milk.
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 lidocaine topical vs nitroglycerin Comparison
lidocaine topical is classified in the Topical Anesthetic 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, lidocaine topical has 0 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 moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both of these medicines can cause a blood condition that stops oxygen from reaching your body's tissues. using them together increases the chance of this serious side effect.. 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 lidocaine topical 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.