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Dinitrate d'isosorbide

Isoket Retard

Isosorbide dinitrate helps to prevent angina pain.

The most common side-effect is headache. This should pass after a few days of taking your medication.

At a glance

  • Isosorbide dinitrate is a medicine mainly used to prevent angina pain.

  • It works by relaxing and widening blood vessels, reducing strain on the heart.

  • Tablets are taken either three to four times daily (standard) or twice daily (modified-release).

  • Modified-release tablets should be swallowed whole and not chewed or crushed.

  • Common side-effects include headache, dizziness, and a fast heartbeat.

  • Do not drink alcohol as it can increase side-effects like dizziness.

  • Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other medicines.

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About isosorbide dinitrate

Type de médicament

A nitrate

Utilisé pour

Angina; heart failure

Aussi appelé

Isoket Retard®

Disponible sous forme de

Tablets and longer-acting tablets (called modified-release tablets)

Isosorbide dinitrate is prescribed mainly to prevent angine de poitrine pain from developing. Angina pain develops if part of your heart muscle does not get as much blood and oxygen as it needs. It is usually caused by narrowing of your coronary arteries due to a build-up of a fatty substance called atheroma. The narrowing makes it more difficult for blood to flow to your heart muscle.

Isosorbide dinitrate works in two ways. It relaxes blood vessels in your body (causing them to widen) and this reduces the strain on your heart, making it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body. It also relaxes and widens blood vessels in your heart (coronary arteries), which increases the flow of blood to your heart muscle.

Some isosorbide dinitrate tablets can also be used to provide quick relief of angina pain when it happens. They are also sometimes prescribed for people with une insuffisance cardiaque (where the heart does not beat as efficiently as it should).

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start isosorbide dinitrate it is important that your doctor knows:

  • Si vous êtes enceinte ou si vous allaitez.

  • Si vous avez des problèmes avec le fonctionnement de votre foie, ou des problèmes avec le fonctionnement de vos reins.

  • If you have low blood pressure.

  • If you have been told by a doctor you have low levels of iron in your blood (anaemia), or low levels of oxygen in your blood (hypoxaemia).

  • Si vous avez une glande thyroïde sous-active.

  • If you have an eye condition called glaucoma.

  • If you have recently had a head injury or a heart attack.

  • Si vous avez déjà eu une réaction allergique à un médicament.

  • If you are taking other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, as well as herbal or complementary medicines. It is particularly important that you tell your doctor if you are using any medicines to help treat dysfonction érectile.

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  • Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about nitrate medicines, and it will also provide you with a full list of side-effects which you could experience from taking isosorbide dinitrate.

  • Standard tablets (sometimes called immediate-release tablets) are taken three or four times a day, with the last dose usually being taken no later than 6 pm. Longer-acting tablets (called modified-release or 'Retard' tablets) are taken twice daily, the first dose in the morning and the second dose mid-afternoon. Your doctor will tell you which type of tablets you are being supplied with, and your dose will be printed on the label of the pack to remind you about how to take them. You can take isosorbide dinitrate tablets either before or after meals.

  • If you are taking modified-release tablets, you should swallow the tablet whole - do not chew, break or crush the tablet before you swallow. This is because the tablet is specially made to release the medicine in a controlled way.

  • Try to take the tablets at the same times of day each day, as this will help you to remember to take your doses regularly. If you forget to take a dose at your usual time, take it when you remember. However, if it is nearly time to take your next dose when you remember, then leave out the forgotten dose and take your next dose when it is due. Do not take two doses together to make up for a missed dose.

  • Modified-release isosorbide dinitrate tablets are not suitable to take to treat chest pain during an angina attack. Your doctor will prescribe you a short-acting nitrate for you to take if this happens. Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) is commonly prescribed for this.

  • Try to keep your regular appointments with your doctor. This is so your doctor can check on your progress

  • The longer you take isosorbide dinitrate, the more your body can become used to it (called tolerance) and then it can have less of an effect. To avoid this, your doses may not be prescribed at equal intervals throughout the day. It is important that you follow the instructions your doctor gives you about when to take your doses.

  • It is best not to drink alcohol while you are on isosorbide dinitrate. Alcohol will increase the risk of you experiencing side-effects such as feeling dizzy and light-headed.

  • If you are having an operation or dental treatment, please remember to tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are taking.

  • If you buy any medicines, please check with a pharmacist that they are suitable for you to take with isosorbide dinitrate.

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Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with isosorbide dinitrate.

Vous trouverez une liste complète dans la notice d'information du fabricant fournie avec votre médicament. Les effets indésirables s'améliorent souvent à mesure que votre corps s'adapte au nouveau médicament, mais parlez-en à votre médecin ou pharmacien si l'un des effets suivants persiste ou devient gênant.

Common isosorbide dinitrate side-effects

Que puis-je faire si je ressens cela ?

Maux de tête

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend a suitable painkiller. This side-effect usually disappears after a few days

Se sentir étourdi ou fatigué

Ne conduisez pas et n'utilisez pas d'outils ou de machines lorsque vous êtes affecté

Feeling your heart is beating quickly, flushing

If either of these becomes troublesome, speak with your doctor

Si vous ressentez d'autres symptômes que vous pensez être dus au médicament, veuillez consulter votre médecin ou votre pharmacien pour obtenir des conseils supplémentaires.

  • Gardez tous les médicaments hors de la portée et de la vue des enfants.

  • Conserver dans un endroit frais et sec, à l'abri de la chaleur et de la lumière directes.

Informations importantes sur tous les médicaments

Ne prenez jamais plus que la dose prescrite. Si vous soupçonnez que vous ou quelqu'un d'autre avez pris une surdose de ce médicament, rendez-vous au service des urgences de votre hôpital local. Emportez le contenant avec vous, même s'il est vide.

Ce médicament est pour vous. Ne le donnez jamais à d'autres personnes, même si leur état semble être le même que le vôtre.

Ne gardez pas de médicaments périmés ou indésirables. Apportez-les à votre pharmacie locale qui s'en débarrassera pour vous.

Si vous avez des questions concernant ce médicament, demandez à votre pharmacien.

Signaler les effets secondaires d'un médicament ou d'un vaccin

Si vous ressentez des effets secondaires, vous pouvez les signaler en ligne via le Yellow Card website.

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Questions fréquemment posées

What is isosorbide dinitrate and what does it do for someone with angina?

Isosorbide dinitrate is a medicine primarily used to prevent angina pain. Angina happens when your heart muscle doesn't get enough blood and oxygen, usually due to narrowed coronary arteries. This medicine works by relaxing and widening blood vessels throughout your body, which reduces the strain on your heart, and also specifically widens the blood vessels in your heart to increase blood flow to the heart muscle.

Can I use isosorbide dinitrate to treat an angina attack when it's happening?

Standard tablets of isosorbide dinitrate can sometimes be used for quick relief of angina pain. However, modified-release versions are not suitable for treating an angina attack. For acute attacks, your doctor will likely prescribe a short-acting nitrate like Glyceryl Trinitrate (GTN).

What should I do if I forget to take a dose of isosorbide dinitrate?

If you forget to take a dose at your usual time, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it's almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and just take your next dose when it's due. Do not take two doses together to make up for a missed one.

Are there any specific foods or drinks I should avoid while taking isosorbide dinitrate?

It is best not to drink alcohol while taking isosorbide dinitrate. Alcohol can increase your risk of side-effects such as feeling dizzy and light-headed.

How do I know if my isosorbide dinitrate tablets are the 'standard' or 'modified-release' type?

Your doctor will inform you which type of tablets you have been prescribed. The dosage instructions, including whether they are standard (taken three or four times a day) or modified-release (taken twice daily), will also be printed on the label of your medicine pack.

What should I do if I experience headaches after starting isosorbide dinitrate?

Headaches are a common side-effect and usually disappear after a few days as your body adjusts to the medicine. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist to recommend a suitable painkiller to help manage this during the initial period.

Why is it important to attend regular appointments with my doctor while on this medication?

Regular appointments with your doctor are important so they can monitor your progress. Also, your body can become used to isosorbide dinitrate over time, which can reduce its effectiveness (a phenomenon called tolerance). Your doctor may adjust your dosing schedule to prevent this.

Lectures complémentaires et références

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About the authorView full bio

Author image

Michael Stewart, MRPharmS

Medicine Leaflet Review Manager – Contractor, Pharmacist

BPharm (Hons), MRPharmS

Michael is a community pharmacist practicing in the Midlands and South Yorkshire with more than 20 years’ experience advising on medicines and medical conditions. He has a strong background in healthcare training, having produced and delivered training courses for pharmacy teams and staff of residential care settings, including nurses. He has also contributed to pharmacy advisory boards for the management of low acuity conditions in the community.

About the reviewer

Author image

Sid Dajani

Sultan Dajani qualified at the London School of Pharmacy in 1994 and became the youngest elected member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society council since its founding in 1842.

Historique de l'article

Les informations sur cette page sont rédigées et examinées par des cliniciens qualifiés.

  • Next review due: 18 Oct 2027
  • 21 oct. 2024 | Dernière version

    Dernière mise à jour par

    Michael Stewart, MRPharmS

    Revu par

    Sid Dajani
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