Patient/caregiver was educated on the precautions to be observed while taking isosorbide dinitrate as follows:
- Avoid using isosorbide dinitrate with any medications used to treat erectile dysfunction, such as, Viagra. This can result in the side-effects getting compounded and lead to extremely dangerous hypotension and very rapid heart rate, severe chest pain and angina, and might also result in death.
- Symptoms of hypotension can occur secondary to arterial and venous vasodilation. Accommodation of more blood in the peripheral blood vessels can reduce blood supply to distant vital organs, such as, brain and result in symptoms such as, dizziness, headache, and feeling lightheaded. These episodes of headache usually are self-limiting, can be managed with OTC pain medications, and gradually resolve. Any continuing or worsening headaches, after isosorbide intake, must be promptly reported to the physician.
- Isosorbide dinitrate helps preventing an episode of angina, but hardly has any effect on an episode of chest pain/angina that has already started, unless it is a sublingual variety. Although isosorbide dinitrate prevents an angina from developing, increased pooling of blood in the peripheries, secondary to dilation of blood vessels can sometimes seriously compromise blood supply and oxygen delivery to the heart muscle, thus increasing the risk for angina and chest pain. Any episodes of chest pain, while taking isosorbide dinitrate, should be promptly reported to the physician.
