nitroglycerin
Brand names: Nitrostat, Nitro-Dur
Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets help to relieve chest pain (angina) due to heart disease. They work by widening blood vessels to improve blood flow.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Brand Price
$50.70/unit
Generic Price
$0.48/unit
Generic Savings
99%
Generic Available
Yes (16 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
This medicine treats chest pain called angina.
Common side effects
Headache, Dizziness, Tingling
Key warnings
Taking too much nitroglycerin can lead to tolerance, where the drug stops working as well.
How It Works
Nitroglycerin is a nitrate vasodilator. It widens your blood vessels. This lets more blood flow to your heart and reduces chest pain.
How to Take It
At the first sign of chest pain, put one tablet under your tongue or in your cheek. Let it dissolve completely; do not swallow it. If the pain continues, you can take another tablet every 5 minutes. Do not take more than 3 tablets in 15 minutes. You can also take it 5 to 10 minutes before activities that might cause chest pain.
Pregnancy & 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.
Missed Dose
Since you take nitroglycerin for chest pain, you won't have a regular schedule. Take a dose when chest pain starts.
Storage
Store nitroglycerin tablets at room temperature (68°–77°F) in the original glass container, tightly closed to protect from light and moisture.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 32,313 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 51,859 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 1999–2025.
Total Reports
51,859
Death-Related Reports
6,855
Hospitalization Reports
23,779
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DYSPNOEA | 4,151 |
| 2 | PAIN | 3,626 |
| 3 | FATIGUE | 3,491 |
| 4 | MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION | 3,393 |
| 5 | NAUSEA | 3,266 |
| 6 | CHEST PAIN | 2,947 |
| 7 | DIZZINESS | 2,939 |
| 8 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 2,928 |
| 9 | FALL | 2,906 |
| 10 | DIARRHOEA | 2,665 |
| 11 | HEADACHE | 2,585 |
| 12 | RENAL FAILURE | 2,513 |
| 13 | ASTHENIA | 2,401 |
| 14 | DEATH | 2,399 |
| 15 | HYPOTENSION | 2,247 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
7.4 Concomitant Use with Drugs that Induce Methemoglobinemia Concomitant use of ACZONE Gel, 7.5% with drugs that induce methemoglobinemia such as sulfonamides, acetaminophen, acetanilide, aniline dyes, benzocaine, chloroquine, dapsone, naphthalene, nitrates and nitrites, nitrofurantoin, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, pamaquine, para‐aminosalicylic acid, phenacetin, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primaquine, and quinine may increase the risk for developing methemoglobinemia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] .
Mechanism: These drugs can both cause a buildup of a specific type of hemoglobin that does not carry oxygen effectively. Taking them together adds to this risk.
What to do: Use this combination carefully and seek medical help immediately if you notice your skin, lips, or fingernails turning blue.
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, ifos...
Mechanism: 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.
What to do: 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.
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.
Mechanism: 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.
What to do: Your doctor may need to monitor your blood pressure more closely or adjust your medication doses if you take high-dose aspirin.
PDE-5-Inhibitors such as avanafil, sildenafil, vardenafil, and tadalafil have been shown to potentiate the hypotensive effects of organic nitrates.
Mechanism: Both of these drugs work to relax and widen your blood vessels. Taking them together can cause your blood pressure to drop to a dangerously low level.
What to do: You should avoid taking these two medications together because the combination can be very dangerous for your heart and blood pressure.
PDE-5-Inhibitors such as avanafil, sildenafil, vardenafil, and tadalafil have been shown to potentiate the hypotensive effects of organic nitrates.
Mechanism: Tadalafil makes the blood-pressure-lowering effects of nitroglycerin much stronger. This can lead to a severe and unsafe decrease in your blood pressure.
What to do: Do not use these medications at the same time, as the combination can cause life-threatening low blood pressure.
Common Questions
Can I take more than 3 tablets if my chest pain doesn't go away?
Can I chew or swallow the tablet to make it work faster?
What should I do if I get a headache after taking nitroglycerin?
Can I take nitroglycerin with my other medications?
How can I prevent nitroglycerin from losing its potency?
Can I use nitroglycerin before exercise?
What are the signs of low blood pressure from nitroglycerin?
Can nitroglycerin expire?
Is it normal to feel a tingling sensation under my tongue when the tablet dissolves?
Can I drink alcohol while taking nitroglycerin?
What are the common side effects of nitroglycerin?
Does nitroglycerin interact with other medications?
What drug class is nitroglycerin?
Is there a generic version of nitroglycerin?
Is nitroglycerin safe during pregnancy?
Has nitroglycerin been recalled?
Active Recalls
CGMP Deviations
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA
Related Medications in Nitrate Vasodilator
Other drugs grouped near nitroglycerin — same-class peers and common alternatives.
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carvedilol
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What the FDA Data Shows for nitroglycerin
The FDA label for nitroglycerin (sold under brand names such as Nitrostat, Nitro-Dur) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Nitrate Vasodilator class. This medicine treats chest pain called angina. Official labeling lists 3 commonly reported side effects, including Headache, Dizziness, Tingling.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 32,313 voluntary reports. The database also lists 8 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $0.48 versus $50.70 for the brand — a 99% generic savings.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 1 recall record on file), and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: October 15, 2024
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages