Drug interactions
Nitroglycerin rectal + Propranolol
Severity: Moderate
Nitroglycerin rectal and Propranolol: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Propranolol blunts the reflex tachycardia from nitroglycerin while hypotension persists, so blood pressure lowering may be more pronounced. The combination is also used therapeutically in angina.
What this interaction means in plain words
Nitroglycerin rectal and Propranolol can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive hemodynamic effects: nitrate vasodilation with beta-blockade preventing compensatory heart rate rise.
What to do
Monitor blood pressure and symptoms of dizziness or syncope, especially at initiation and dose increases.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Propranolol
- Propranolol + Thioridazine Contraindicated
- Acebutolol + Propranolol Major
- Adrenaline-articaine + Propranolol Major
- Albuterol + Propranolol Major
- Amifostine + Propranolol Major
- Amiodarone + Propranolol Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Nitroglycerin rectal with Propranolol?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Nitroglycerin rectal and Propranolol can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Propranolol blunts the reflex tachycardia from nitroglycerin while hypotension persists, so blood pressure lowering may be more pronounced. The combination is also used therapeutically in angina.
How serious is the interaction between Nitroglycerin rectal and Propranolol?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor blood pressure and symptoms of dizziness or syncope, especially at initiation and dose increases.
What other medicines interact with Propranolol?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Propranolol with, for example, Thioridazine, Acebutolol, Adrenaline-articaine. The full list is on the Propranolol page.
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