Before using nitroglycerin ointment,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to nitroglycerin ointment, tablets, spray, or patches; isosorbide (Isordil, Monoket, in BiDil, others), any other medications, or any of the ingredients in nitroglycerin ointment. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
tell your doctor if you are taking riociguat (Adempas) or if you are taking or have recently taken phosphodiesterase (PDE-5) inhibitors such as avanafil (Strendra), sildenafil (Revatio, Viagra), tadalafil (Adcirca, Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn). Your doctor may tell you not to use nitroglycerin ointment if you are taking one of these medications.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: aspirin; beta blockers such as atenolol (Tenormin, Tenoretic), carteolol , labetalol (Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol-XL), nadolol (Corgard, in Corzide), propranolol (Hemangeol, Inderal, Innopran), sotalol (Betapace, Sorine, Sotylize), and timolol; calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine (Norvasc, in Amturnide, in Tekamlo), diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia, Dilt-CD, others), felodipine (Plendil), isradipine, nifedipine (Adalat CC, Afeditab, Procardia), and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Verelan); ergot-type medications such as bromocriptine (Cycloset, Parlodel), cabergoline, dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal), ergoloid mesylates (Hydergine), ergonovine (Ergotrate), ergotamine (in Cafergot, in Migergot), methylergonovine (Methergine), methysergide (Sansert; no longer available in the U.S.), and pergolide (Permax; no longer available in the U.S.); medications for high blood pressure, heart failure, or an irregular heartbeat. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
tell your doctor if you have anemia (a lower than normal number of red blood cells) or have had any condition that increases the pressure in your brain or skull. Your doctor may tell you not to use nitroglycerin ointment.
tell your doctor if you think you may be dehydrated, if you have recently had a heart attack, and if you have or have ever had low blood pressure, heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickening of the heart muscle), or migraines or recurrent headaches.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while using nitroglycerin ointment, call your doctor.
if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using nitroglycerin ointment.
you should know that nitroglycerin ointment may make you dizzy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
ask your doctor about the safe use of alcoholic beverages while you are using nitroglycerin ointment. Alcohol can make the side effects from nitroglycerin ointment worse.
you should know that nitroglycerin patches may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position, or at any time, especially if you have been drinking alcoholic beverages. To avoid this problem, get up slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up. Take extra precautions to avoid falling during your treatment with nitroglycerin.
you should know that you may experience headaches every day during your treatment with nitroglycerin ointment. These headaches may be a sign that the medication is working as it should. Do not try to change the times or the way that you apply nitroglycerin ointment in order to avoid headaches because then the medication may not work as well. Your doctor may tell you to take a pain reliever to treat your headaches.