Nitroglycerin Interactions

Nitroglycerin releases nitric oxide to dilate blood vessels and relieve angina. Beetroot is the most concentrated dietary source of inorganic nitrate, which the body also converts to nitric oxide, so combining the two can cause additive vasodilation, low blood pressure, headache, and fainting.

Both nitroglycerin and alcohol are vasodilators; combined, they cause additive hypotension that can produce severe dizziness, fainting, or cardiovascular collapse, particularly with sublingual or fast-acting nitrate formulations. The classic interaction was first described in the New England Journal of Medicine in 1965.