Isosorbide Mononitrate
About
Isosorbide Mononitrate belongs to the class of organic nitrates with blood vessel dilating activity. It is used for a heart condition called angina pectoris in which blood vessels of the heart get narrowed in an unexpected and sudden manner leading to decreased blood flow to the muscles of the heart leading to its suffocation & thus leading to a tight pain in the chest, neck or arm area.
Isosorbide Mononitrate a mononitrate form of isosorbide is a powerful vasodilator (widens blood vessels). It works by the formation of the free radical nitric oxide (NO) inside our body which leads to the relaxation of muscles of blood vessels, especially of the heart leading to proper blood flow towards the heart muscle which has been working under immense pressure due to decreased blood flow to it.
Isosorbide Mononitrate should be taken as prescribed by your doctor, with or without a meal at fixed intervals every day for best results. The dose of Isosorbide Mononitrate can vary depending upon your condition and the severity of the condition. Also, it is recommended to complete the course of medicine even if you feel better. The common side effects of Isosorbide Mononitrate include nausea, dizziness & headache. Everyone need not experience the above side effects. In case of any discomfort, speak with a doctor.
Before starting Isosorbide Mononitrate, please inform your doctor if you have any allergy (against any nitrate), have suffered a heart attack/stroke, or have an eye disease called glaucoma. Do not take Isosorbide Mononitrate on your own as, self-medication. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Uses of Isosorbide Mononitrate
Medicinal Benefits
Isosorbide Mononitrate belongs to a class of medicines called nitrate vasodilators. These operate by relaxing the blood vessels of the heart, reducing the stress on the heart and making it easier to pump blood. Isosorbide Mononitrate is used to prevent attacks of angina pectoris. Angina usually feels like tight chest pain, neck or arm area. The pain originates from the heart muscle and is a sign that part of it is not getting enough oxygen for the amount of work it is doing.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Isosorbide Mononitrate
- Fainting
- Low blood pressure
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Swelling of eyelids, face or lips
- Rash or itching especially those covering your whole body
- Exfoliative dermatitis (serious illness with blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals)
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Communicate to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Isosorbide Mononitrate if a patient has low performing thyroid gland, is undernourished because of a poor diet, has severe liver/kidney problems, suffers from hypothermia (very low body temperature), suffers from very poor blood circulation, has had any lethal damage to heart such as a heart attack or suffers from a disease called glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye).
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Care should be exercised when Isosorbide Mononitrate is administered in combination with Sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil used to treat male erection dysfunction, Isosorbide dinitrate which is used for angina, Blood pressure-lowering drugs like ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers (atenolol, propranolol), calcium channel blockers (nifedipine, diltiazem), angiotensin-II receptor agonists (olmesartan medoxomil, candesartan cilexetil), clonidine, diazoxide, diuretics, methyldopa, moxonidine, Dihydorergotamine used for migraine & Tricyclic antidepressants (used to treat depression).
Drug-Food Interaction: Avoid taking Isosorbide Mononitrate alongside alcohol.
Drug-Disease Interaction: People affected with liver disease low red blood cell count (Anaemia), Kidney failure (dialysis), low blood pressure (hypotension), and Increased pressure inside the eye called glaucoma should not take Isosorbide Mononitrate.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeDo not drink alcohol. It could increase the effect of Isosorbide Mononitrate and lower your blood pressure too much. If this happens, you may feel dizzy or faint.
Pregnancy
cautionIf you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Breast Feeding
cautionIf you are a breast-feeding mother, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Driving
unsafeIsosorbide Mononitrate may give you headache, blurred vision or make you feel dizzy or tired make sure you are not affected before you drive or operate machinery.
Liver
cautionA patient is advised to take this drug only on doctor's consultation as there have been reports of interactions between liver patients and Isosorbide Mononitrate.
Kidney
cautionA patient is advised to take this drug only on doctor's consultation as there have been reports of interactions between Kidney patients and Isosorbide Mononitrate.
Children
unsafeNot to be given in children unless prescribed by a doctor.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle will help you keep your cholesterol and blood pressure down, keep your arteries clear and avoid angina.
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat sources of protein such as nuts and fish.
- Regularly workout.
- Maintain a healthy weight and keep your diabetes in check.
- Stop smoking.
Special Advise
- Avoid vigorous physical activity that may aggravate anginal attack.
- Avoid smoking.
- A patient should avoid places where airflow is restricted.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Angina or chest pain: It is the most common indication of heart disease caused due to decreased blood flow to heart muscles. The heart is dependent on oxygen for its functioning and pumping of blood yet sometimes due to various genetic and environmental reasons the blood vessels supplying blood to the heart narrow unexpectedly causing decreased blood flow to the heart. This abrupt decrease in blood flow leads to increased stress on the heart to pump blood towards different organs causing an event of acute chest pain that starts from the arm along the jaw and finally involves the chest. Angina pectoris is of 3 types:
1) Stable Angina: is the most common type in which blood flow to the heart is low as compared to what it needs to function, caused by increased physical activity.
2) Unstable angina: is the most lethal type in which blood supply to the heart decreases abruptly due to blockage of the artery by a clot etc.
3) Variant angina: occurs at rest due to spasmic narrowing of the artery.
FAQs
Take the missed dose as soon as possible, if its been too late then jumo to next dose and never attempt to take double dose as it may lead to serious harmful implications.
Strictly no, drastic fall in blood pressure is seen & is never advised except for a few antihypertensives that too only under doctors consultation.
No, ergot based drugs have been found to have interaction with Isosorbide Mononitrate thus not advised.
No, the interaction produced causes severe hypotension or decrease in blood pressure.
It can induce throbbing headache, reddening of the skin chills along with sweating, nausea, vomiting, and quick heartbeat if you take more than the prescribed dose of Isosorbide Mononitrate. Seek emergency treatment and seek urgent consultation with your doctor if you are taking more than the prescribed dosage of this drug.
