Nitrospray versus nitro drip

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Can anyone explain why with nitrospray we need to watch out for tachycardia but with a nitrodrip we watch out for bradycardia? I always thought that tachycardia would be a common side effect for both drug forms, but an answer key for calculations is informing me otherwise.

Thanks in advance :)

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

They both can cause tachycardia, bradycardia or irregular heart rate. It is thought that in the IV nitro, it is mixed with alcohol, and the vasovagal response to the drop in B/P with administration IV causes a reflex bradycardia. Where the sl spray causes more of a tachycardia response to the initial vasodilatation and drop in B/P not producing the vasovagal reflex bradycardia.

Nitroglycerin Injection Official FDA information, side effects and uses.

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Thanks for the clarification - it's so much better to know what's going on rather than just memorize!

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