How to Use Nitrates to Treat Angina

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By Sky77
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When your heart is not getting enough oxygen-rich blood, it will let you know. You may feel a squeezing pressure in your chest, heaviness, tightness, or a crushing sensation. This pain may radiate down to your left arm, jaw or neck. Along with these symptoms, you may feel shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and extreme fatigue. It is referred to as stable angina when these symptoms occur when you exert yourself such as when jogging, walking up a flight of stairs or any other activity that makes your heart beat harder. Unstable angina is when the above symptoms occur even at rest. While having angina for the first time will usually warrant an ambulance because it may feel very similar to a heart attack and it is a frightening experience. Once diagnosed, you will often be given nitrates. These work by relaxing blood vessels and making them wider so your heart does not have to work so hard. This allows more oxygen and blood to reach your heart, thus giving you relief. The following steps will show you how to use nitrates to ease your angina.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Oral nitrates
Tablet nitrates

Step 1

Nitroglycerin that is sprayed in the mouth is often used to treat the pain of angina. It is also used to prevent an attack. If you will be doing strenuous activities, nitroglycerin can be sprayed in the mouth before you begin to prevent an attack.
Step 2

Take the nitroglycerin for several minutes before you do anything that you think might cause an angina attack.
Step 3

If you are having an attack, place the oral nitroglycerin tablets under the tongue.
Step 4

Oral nitrates can also be taken on a daily schedule to prevent angina.

Tips & Warnings

Angina has many triggers that include cigarette smoke, stress and exercise.
When you exercise, make sure that you take plenty of breaks to rest.
If you take nitrates on a regular basis can cause your body to become tolerant to the medication. This means that the nitroglycerin may not be effective. Higher doses may be needed.