Nitrates are a group of drugs that act on blood vessels and dilate them. They are used to relieve angina (chest pain caused by cardiac ischemia - reduced blood supply to the heart). By relaxing smooth muscle in the vessel wall, they produce an increase in diameter, which in turn increases the volume of blood flowing through the coronary arteries and stop chest pain.
These drugs should be used cautiously, since they can severely reduce blood pressure.Nitrates are available in different formulations including: |
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