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Nitrates for Coronary Artery Disease
Nitrates come in different forms including pills, sprays, skin patches, and skin pastes. Pills and spray forms of quick-acting nitroglycerin help relieve sudden angina. Longer-acting pills or skin patches may be used for long-term prevention of chest pain during daily activities.
For help using nitroglycerin, see the topic:
Do not take the erection-enhancing medicine sildenafil (Viagra), vardenafil (Levitra), or tadalafil (Cialis) if you are taking a nitrate. Combining these two drugs can cause a life-threatening drop in blood pressure. If you develop chest pain and have taken one of these erection-enhancing medicines, be sure to tell your health professionals so that they do not attempt to treat you with nitroglycerin or another nitrate medicine.
Complete the new medication information form (PDF) 
(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: May 10, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine John A. McPherson, MD, FACC, FSCAI - Cardiology | |
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