What are common side effects of nitroglycerin?

What are common side effects of nitroglycerin?

• A. Headache and hypotension
• B. Nausea only
• C. Cough and throat irritation
• D. Fever and tremor

Answer: (A)

Nitroglycerin’s most common adverse effects come from its ability to dilate blood vessels. By relaxing vascular smooth muscle, it mainly increases venous capacitance, lowers preload, and can also reduce systemic vascular resistance. This vasodilation often produces a pounding headache as cerebral vessels dilate, and it can cause a drop in blood pressure that leads to dizziness or lightheadedness, especially when changing position. Because of these actions, the combination of headache and hypotension best reflects the typical side effect profile you’d expect with nitroglycerin. Other effects like nausea can occur in some people, and throat irritation or cough may happen with certain forms (like sprays), but they’re not as consistently seen or as prominent as the headache with low blood pressure. Fever and tremor are not characteristic side effects of this medication.

Nitroglycerin’s most common adverse effects come from its ability to dilate blood vessels. By relaxing vascular smooth muscle, it mainly increases venous capacitance, lowers preload, and can also reduce systemic vascular resistance. This vasodilation often produces a pounding headache as cerebral vessels dilate, and it can cause a drop in blood pressure that leads to dizziness or lightheadedness, especially when changing position.

Because of these actions, the combination of headache and hypotension best reflects the typical side effect profile you’d expect with nitroglycerin. Other effects like nausea can occur in some people, and throat irritation or cough may happen with certain forms (like sprays), but they’re not as consistently seen or as prominent as the headache with low blood pressure. Fever and tremor are not characteristic side effects of this medication.