What is Isosorbide Mononitrate?

Isosorbide Mononitrate is a tablet that is used to prevent as well as treat angina, or pain in the chest. Angina happens when the heart gets an insufficient amount of oxygen.

This is due to the fact that arteries are narrowed or blocked. It belongs to a drug class called nitrates. These work by expanding the arteries, allowing blood to flow more easily.

This process lightens the heart’s workload. It also helps prevent sudden chest pain from heart disease. Isosorbide Mononitrate is available as a tablet.

Doctors often prescribe it for long-term heart conditions. It helps improve circulation and heart function.

Uses of Isosorbide Mononitrate

Benefits

Isosorbide Mononitrate helps reduce angina attacks. It stops chest pain by letting the heart muscle get more blood. This helps reduce how often and how severe angina attacks are.

Improvement in Heart Function: Isosorbide mononitrate helps widen the arteries. It also reduces the blood returning to the heart. This means the heart works less hard. As a result, pumping becomes easier, leading to better heart function overall.

Low Blood Pressure: Isosorbide Mononitrate reduces blood pressure in individuals with high pressure. This avoids future attacks such as strokes or heart attacks.

How Does It Work?

Isosorbide Mononitrate acts by releasing nitric oxide into the bloodstream. Nitric oxide relaxes and dilates the smooth muscle in blood vessels, specifically veins.

This opens up blood vessels. Reducing the amount of blood going back to the heart makes it easier for the heart to function.

This helps lessen angina and other heart symptoms. The result is less chest pain and a better ability for the heart to supply oxygen to itself and the body.

Dosage Guidelines

Direction for Use:

Take Isosorbide Mononitrate precisely as your doctor directs. Take only one tablet orally with a glass that is full of water.

You can take this with or without having your food. This helps keep your blood levels of the drug steady.

Dosage:

A standard dose of Isosorbide Mononitrate depends on the clinical condition for which it is being given to a patient:

For angina prevention, start with 30-60 mg once daily in the morning. This dose can help prevent chest pain throughout the day.

For heart failure, start Isosorbide Mononitrate at 20-40 mg twice daily. The doctor can gradually increase the dose based on the way in which the drug helps your condition. But, the daily dose must not go over 120 mg.

When Not to Use

Never take this medicine if allergic to Isosorbide Mononitrate or other nitrates. The signs may be hives, shortness of breath, and swelling of the face, lips, or tongue.

Patients with severe anemia should avoid Isosorbide Mononitrate. It can increase dizziness and fatigue.

If your blood pressure is low, Isosorbide Mononitrate will decrease it even further. This may cause dizziness, fainting, and drowsiness.

PDE-5 drugs like sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), or vardenafil (Levitra) should not be combined with Isosorbide Mononitrate. Doing so can lead to a dangerous drop in blood pressure.

Can Take with Other Medicine

Isosorbide Mononitrate is compatible with the majority of medications. For example:

Isosorbide Mononitrate with aspirin in low doses may prevent heart attacks by enhancing blood flow.

Calcium channel blockers such as amlodipine, verapamil, and diltiazem are safe for use in angina with isosorbide mononitrate. They both help widen blood vessels and reduce chest pain.

Other Medication to Avoid:

Some drugs can interact dangerously with Isosorbide Mononitrate. So, avoid taking them together.

PDE-5 inhibitors such as Sildenafil (Viagra), Tadalafil (Cialis), and vardenafil (Levitra) cannot be given concurrently with Isosorbide Mononitrate. It leads to very low blood pressure.

Alpha-blockers: Taking doxazosin or prazosin with Isosorbide Mononitrate can further lower blood pressure. This raises the chances of dizziness and fainting.

Blood Pressure Drugs: Isosorbide Mononitrate, when combined with other blood pressure drugs such as beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors, can lead to extremely low blood pressure.

Safety Advice

Risk of Dizziness: You might get dizzily lightheaded after using the medicine when you quickly get up from lying or sitting. Most likely to occur when initiating therapy or at dose adjustment.

Avoid alcohol. It boosts the effect of Isosorbide Mononitrate, lowering blood pressure. This raises the risk of dizziness or fainting.

Renal and Hepatic Impairment: If you have liver or kidney disease, your doctor might change your dose or monitor you more closely. These conditions can affect how the drug is processed.

Concerns

Precautions

Before using Isosorbide Mononitrate, inform your doctor of any medical condition, particularly:

Warnings

What Else Can I Do to Manage My Condition?

Aside from taking Isosorbide Mononitrate, other changes in lifestyle and habits will assist you in managing your condition:

Special Dietary and Lifestyle Recommendations

Compared to Nitroglycerin:

Isosorbide Mononitrate and Nitroglycerin are both nitrates used to treat chest pain, but in different ways:

Compared to Isosorbide Dinitrate:

Isosorbide Mononitrate and Isosorbide Dinitrate are both nitrates but differ in their pharmacokinetics:

What Not to Do

Stopping Isosorbide Mononitrate suddenly can lead to a rebound effect. This might worsen angina or raise the risk of a heart attack. 

Do Not Exceed the Prescribed Dose: Too much Isosorbide Mononitrate can lead to dizziness, low blood pressure, or fainting. 

Storage Instructions

Keep Isosorbide Mononitrate in a dry, light-free place. Store in the tightly closed original container away from children. Do not use the medicine beyond the expiry date shown on the packaging.