NURSE: Nitroglycerin Use: Revisiting Strategies for Efficacy

Sublingual nitroglycerin (SLN) is front-line therapy for the treatment of episodic stable angina discomfort. Anecdotal evidence gathered by advanced practice nurses in a cardiac pre-assessment clinic suggested that SLN was often overlooked by health care professionals as an integral component of angina self-management. A brief questionnaire exploring patients' knowledge and use of SLN was subsequently administered to 300 patients. Information gathered from the questionnaire indicated that patients are not consistently prescribed SLN for suspected or confirmed coronary artery disease. Knowledge deficits were evident concerning the proper dosage and administration of SLN, even in patients with a longstanding history of angina. Many were unaware of SLN prophylaxis and the concomitant use of topical nitrates. This paper will discuss practice implications for optimizing SLN therapy in angina self-management.