Isosorbide mononitrate, sold under many brand names, is a medication used for heart-related chest pain (angina), heart failure and esophageal spasms. It can be used both to treat and to prevent heart-related chest pain; however, it is generally less preferred than beta blockers or calcium channel blockers. It is taken by mouth.Common side effects include headache, low blood pressure with standing, blurry vision, and skin flushing. Serious side effects may include low blood pressure especially if also exposed to PDE5 inhibitors such as sildenafil. Use is not recommended in pregnancy. It is believed to work by relaxing smooth muscle within blood vessels.It was patented in 1971 and approved for medical use in 1981. It is available as a generic medication. In 2019, it was the 123rd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 5 million prescriptions. Medical uses
Isosorbide mononitrate is a nitrate-class drug used for the prevention of angina pectoris. The sublingual patch has an onset of five minutes and a duration of action of one hour. The oral, slow release tablet has an onset of thirty minutes, and a duration of 8 hours. Adverse effects
The following adverse effects have been reported in studies with isosorbide mononitrate:
Very common: Headache predominates (up to 30%) necessitating withdrawal of 2 to 3% of patients, but the incidence reduces rapidly as treatment continues.Common: Tiredness, sleep disturbances (6%) and gastrointestinal disturbances (6%) have been reported during clinical trials with isosorbide mononitrate modified-release tablets, but at a frequency no greater than for placebo.
The addition of isosorbide mononitrate to propranolol treatment in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension caused a marked fall in portal pressure, a reduction in hepatic blood flow, cardiac output and mean arterial blood pressure, but no additional change in azygos blood flow. The additional effect of isosorbide mononitrate was especially evident in patients whose portal pressure was not reduced by propranolol. Calcium antagonists (general). Marked symptomatic orthostatic hypotension has been reported when calcium antagonists and organic nitrates were used in combination. Dose adjustments of either class of agent may be necessary. Brand names
It is sold in the US by Lannett Company, under the trade name Monoket, and was also sold in the US under the name Imdur, and marketed in the UK under the trade names: Isotard, Monosorb, Chemydur. In India, this drug is available under the brand names of Ismo, Imdur, Isonorm, Monotrate, Solotrate, and Monit. In Russia it is occasionally used under the brand names Monocinque and Pektrol. In Australia, this drug is available under the brand name Duride. References
External links
"Isosorbide mononitrate". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.