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Therapeutic actionIndicationsForms and strengthsDoseDurationContra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
1 May 2026Oral drugsSource update: August 2021

Nitroglycerin Oral: Angina Use and Precautions

Sublingual nitroglycerin guidance for short-term angina prophylaxis, acute angina treatment, and adjunctive therapy in acute heart failure.

Also searched as

Nitroglycerin oralTrinitrin oralGlyceryl trinitrate
Prescription under medical supervision

Source reviewed

August 2021

Guide category

Oral drugs

Safety boundary

Prescription medicine information for clinician-guided use.

Kenza Health Hub presents this medicine page as structured health education. Check dose, route, interactions, pregnancy or breast-feeding considerations, and local protocol with a qualified clinician or pharmacist. Read our medical editorial policy.

This guide page is for structured reference only and does not replace a clinician, pharmacist, or emergency review. Dose choice, route choice, interactions, and safety decisions still need professional judgment.

Therapeutic action

Vasodilator, antianginal.

Indications

  • Short-term prophylaxis and treatment of acute angina.
  • Adjunctive therapy in acute heart failure (acute pulmonary oedema).

Forms and strengths

  • 0.5 mg sublingual tablet.

Dose

Do not exceed 3 mg daily.

Short-term prophylaxis of acute angina

  • Adult: 0.5 to 1 mg sublingually taken 5 to 10 minutes before a precipitating event such as physical exertion or stress.

Treatment of acute angina

  • Adult: 0.5 to 1 mg sublingually, to be repeated 1 to 3 times at 3 to 4 minute intervals.

Adjunctive therapy in acute heart failure (acute pulmonary oedema)

  • Adult: 0.5 mg sublingually, to be repeated 1 to 2 times at 5 minute intervals if necessary.
  • The objective is to lower systolic pressure to 120 to 150 mmHg and diastolic pressure to under 110 mmHg.

Duration

According to clinical response.

Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions

  • Do not administer to patients with obstructive cardiomyopathy, hypotension, shock, severe anaemia, intracranial hypertension, or neurologic injury.
  • May cause orthostatic hypotension, headache, nausea, flushing, haemolytic anaemia in patients with G6PD deficiency, and severe hypotension in overdose.
  • Avoid combination or use the lowest effective dose in patients taking another nitrate derivative, a vasodilator, a diuretic, or an antihypertensive drug, and in older patients.
  • Do not combine with sildenafil or other drugs used for erectile dysfunction because of the risk of severe hypotension, syncope, and acute coronary syndrome.
  • Pregnancy: not recommended.
  • Breast-feeding: not recommended.

Source

MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)

This page combines source-derived medicine reference sections with Kenza editorial context, while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections from the source batch.

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