Pharmacologic Substance
nitroglycerin Audio
ni·tro·glyc·er·in [ nahy-truh-glis-er-in ]
Brand Names:
Gonitro; Minitran; Nitro-Bid; Nitro-Dur; Nitrol; Nitrolingual; NitroMist; Nitrostat; Rectiv
Effect:
Arterial Vasodilation; Decreased Blood Pressure; Decreased Vascular Smooth Muscle Tone; Increased Nitric Oxide Activity; Venous Vasodilation
May Prevent:
Angina Pectoris
May Treat:
Angina Pectoris; Eclampsia; Esophageal Spasm, Diffuse; Fissure in Ano; Heart Failure; Hypertension, Pulmonary; Intraoperative Complications; Myocardial Infarction
More Information:
ChemID; DrugBank; DailyMed; PDR
Definitions related to nitroglycerin:
  • A drug that relaxes blood vessels and increases the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart while reducing its workload. It is commonly used to treat angina.
    Harvard Dictionary of Health Terms
    Harvard Medical Publishing, 2011
  • A volatile vasodilator which relieves ANGINA PECTORIS by stimulating GUANYLATE CYCLASE and lowering cytosolic calcium. It is also sometimes used for TOCOLYSIS and explosives.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • An organic nitrate with vasodilator activity. Nitroglycerin is converted into nitric oxide (NO) in smooth muscle and activates guanylyl cyclase, thereby increasing cGMP concentration, and resulting in smooth muscle relaxation. Dilatation of the veins results in decreased venous return to the heart, thereby decreasing left ventricular volume (reduced preload) and decreasing myocardial oxygen requirements. Arteriolar relaxation reduces arteriolar resistance (reduced afterload), thereby decreasing myocardial oxygen demands. In addition, nitroglycerine causes coronary artery dilatation, thereby improving myocardial blood distribution.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • In medicine, a substance used as a drug to treat certain heart conditions and to widen the openings in blood vessels. Nitroglycerin is being studied as a way to help chemotherapy work better by making tumor cells more sensitive to the drugs. It is a type of vasodilator.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Volatile vasodilator which relieves angina pectoris by stimulating guanylate cyclase and lowering cytosolic calcium; an explosive compound rendered safe when compounded in tablets with mannitol.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Nitroglycerin, a powerful explosive and an important ingredient of most forms of dynamite. It is also used with nitrocellulose in some propellants, especially for rockets and missiles, and it is employed as a vasodilator in the easing of cardiac pain. Pure nitroglycerin is a colourless, oily...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2025
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.