Side Effects Of Glyceryl Trinitrate Gtn

Like all medicines, glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Side effects often improve as your body gets used to the medicine.

Common side effects

These common side effects of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) happen in more than 1 in 100 people, but some are less likely if you're using skin patches. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects after taking GTN are rare and happen in less than 1 in 1,000 people.

Call 999 or go to A&E now if:

you're having breathing difficulties that are new or worse than usual
your lips, tongue, face or skin suddenly turn blue or grey, or if you have darker skin and your gums and round the eyes turn blue or grey - these are signs of a problem with the oxygen levels in your blood
your heart starts beating much faster or slower than usual
you get chest pain that is different or worse than your usual angina pain
you have fainted (lose consciousness)

Do not drive to A&E. Ask someone to drive you or call 999 and ask for an ambulance.

Bring all the medicines you take with you.

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to GTN.

Call 999 now if:

your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
someone faints and cannot be woken up
a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)

You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.

These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.

Other side effects

These are not all the side effects of GTN. For a full list see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Reporting side effects

You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.

Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.

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