Comparing Nitroglycerin vs Ranexa

For Angina I have had heart disease for many years and always have a bottle (tiny!) of sub-lingual nitros in my pocket. When I feel chest pain, one under the tongue and the pain goes away, in my case, every time. The nitro works very quickly to dilate your blood vessels allowing more blood and oxygen to get to your heart muscle. Ask your doctor how to proceed should one pill not relieve the pain. Sub-linguals have a limited life once the bottle is opened the first time, about 3-6 months. If you find yourself using all the pills within that time (25 tiny tablets, typically), then they are best. If you only need it occasionally, get the pump spray as it has a much longer life. It is, however, more expensive.

For Angina This spray is very effective in eradicating nocturnal angina pain and as a precursor to physical exercise thereby inhibiting pain. Very effective pain reliever in a convenient delivery system, fantastic!

For Angina My doctor started me on two doses daily (am and pm) in August, 2011. The second day on it, I was on a camping trip and developed an itchy rash on my lower arms and hands, and my lower legs. I didn't connect it to the Ranexa so I went to my regular doctor and my dermatologist. The dermatologist told me to stop taking the Ranexa and wait for my my cardiologist to come back in town. As it turned out I was having a "sun sensitivity" to the medicine. He cut my dosage to once at night and I have not had any more problems with a rash. However, a month or so after I started taking the medicine, I started having "shaking episodes". I did tell my cardiologist the last time I saw him. It is mainly my hands shaking.

For Angina I've been taking it for three months. I haven't used a nitro in that time. The chest pain I experienced in breathing cold or humid air, or after climbing, or even after stress has dissipated to an unexpected and happy extent. However, the side effects are bothersome, though not insurmountable. Dry mouth, almost continuously, which sometimes affects ability to speak clearly. Constipation, overcome by hard bowel movements, use of stool softeners. And just a general feeling of stuffiness, in body, in sinuses, elsewhere. Hard to say whether I would recommend it. The annoyances at times are major; the feeling of freedom from the chest pain and fear greatly offset the annoyances so far. Incidentally, I am 77, with only one open artery.