Oral Nitrates: Efficacious?
Authors: TRAVIS WINSOR
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1973)

Comments and Corrections1 March 1973Oral Nitrates: Efficacious?TRAVIS WINSOR, M.D.TRAVIS WINSOR, M.D.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-78-3-457 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: Last spring an article (1) on the oral nitrate medications for treatment of angina pectoris was published in theWall Street Journal. The article discussed studies purporting to show that there is "no rational basis" for this treatment, which is generally accepted by the profession as safe and effective. In these studies, nitrates injected into the hepatic portal veins of rats were metabolized by the liver before they reached the heart. Since the appearance of this article, with reports and press releases distributed by various medical groups, angina patients across the country have begun to question their...References1. Heart research finds ingested nitrates may be useless as longterm killer. Wall Street Journal 18 April 1972, p. 15 Google Scholar2. KRANTZ J: Action and nomenclature of nitroglycerin and nitrate esters. Am J Cardiol 29:436-438, 1972 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. WINSOR T: A review of action of antianginal agents. Presented at the Fourth Meeting of the International Committee on Standardization of Cardiovascular Methods and the American College of Chest Physicians, London, 1970 Google Scholar4. WINSOR T: Hemodynamic response of oral long-acting nitrates: evidence of gastrointestinal absorption. Chest 62:407-413, 1972 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. NEEDLEMAN P, LANG S, and JOHNSON E: Organic nitrates: relationship between biotransformation and rational angina pectoris therapy. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 181:489-497, 1972 MedlineGoogle Scholar6. JOHNSON E, HARKEY A, and BLEHM D: Clearance and metabolism of organic nitrates. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 182:56-62, 1972 MedlineGoogle Scholar1. DAVIDSON I, MILLER H, and DICARLO F: Pharmacodynamics and biotransformation of pentaerythritol tetranitrate in man. J Pharm Sci 60:274-277, 1971 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. DICARLO F, CREW M, and SKLOW N: Metabolism of pentaerythritol tetranitrate by patients with coronary artery disease. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 153:254-258, 1966 Google Scholar3. ARONOW W: The medical treatment of angina pectoris. V. Long-acting nitrates as antianginal drugs. Am Heart J 84:567-569, 1972 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. MODELL W (editor): Drugs of Choice, 1970-1971. St. Louis, The CV. Mosby Co., 1970, p. 376 Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: TRAVIS WINSOR, M.D.Affiliations: University of Southern California School of Medicine Los Angeles, California PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited bySustained hemodynamic and antianginal effect of high dose oral isosorbide dinitrate.Oral nitroglycerin as a prophylactic antianginal drug: Clinical, physiologic, and statistical evidence of efficacy based on a three-phase experimental design 1 March 1973Volume 78, Issue 3Page: 457-458KeywordsAnginaHeartLiverLongitudinal studiesNitratesPortal veins ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 March 1973 PDF downloadLoading ...