Angispan-TR 2.6: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects
Also known as: Angispan TR, Angispan-TR 2.6 mg, Angispan TR 2.6 capsule, Nitroglycerin 2.6 mg, Glyceryl trinitrate 2.6 mg, GTN 2.6 mg SR
Angispan-TR 2.6 is a prescription sustained-release capsule containing 2.6 mg of nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate), used to help prevent angina. Angina is chest pain caused by the heart not getting enough blood. The medicine belongs to a group called nitrates and is not meant to relieve an attack that has started. It must not be taken with erectile dysfunction medicines such as sildenafil.
- Active ingredient
- Nitroglycerin 2.6 mg
- Type of medicine
- Nitrates
- Used for
- Angina
- Starts working in
- Releases slowly, so it is not for relieving an attack that has started; ask your doctor which medicine to keep for attacks
- Effect lasts
- Designed to act over several hours; check the pack
- With or without food
- Follow the label or your doctor's advice
- Alcohol
- Alcohol can lower blood pressure further and cause dizziness; ask your doctor
- Pregnancy
- Human data are limited; tell your doctor if you are or may be pregnant
- Habit-forming
- No
- Made by
- VERIFY on pack
Pharmacist review in progress. This page is based on the sources listed below and is being checked by our registered pharmacist.
On this page
- What is Angispan-TR 2.6 used for?
- How does Angispan-TR 2.6 work?
- How to take Angispan-TR 2.6
- Side effects of Angispan-TR 2.6
- Who should be careful
- Medicines and things that interact with Angispan-TR 2.6
- If someone takes too much
- Storage
- Regulatory status in India
- Other brands with the same medicine
- Other strengths and forms
- Common questions
What is Angispan-TR 2.6 used for?
Angispan-TR 2.6 is a prescription medicine. It is used, on a doctor's advice, to help prevent angina in people with coronary artery disease.
- Helping to prevent angina (chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart) in people with coronary artery disease
How does Angispan-TR 2.6 work?
Nitroglycerin releases nitric oxide in the body, which relaxes the muscle in the walls of blood vessels. The vessels widen, less blood returns to the heart and the heart works less hard, so it needs less oxygen. In a sustained-release capsule the medicine is let out slowly over hours.
What happens in your body after you take it
You swallow the capsule
The capsule is swallowed whole. Tiny granules inside let the medicine out slowly instead of all at once.
It is absorbed over hours
Nitroglycerin passes into the blood gradually from the gut, so its effect lasts longer than a quick-acting tablet.
It releases nitric oxide
In the walls of blood vessels it gives off nitric oxide, a signal that makes the muscle there relax.
Vessels widen and the heart rests
Veins and arteries widen, the heart does less work and needs less oxygen, so chest pain is less likely.
The body clears it
Nitroglycerin is broken down quickly by the body. Used without a break the body can become less responsive, so doctors plan the timing of doses.
How to take Angispan-TR 2.6
Take Angispan-TR 2.6 exactly as your doctor has prescribed or as printed on the pack. Your doctor decides the dose, the times of day and how long you need it.
- Swallow the capsule whole. Do not crush, break or chew it, unless the label says otherwise.
- Follow the label or your doctor's advice about when to take it.
- It is used to help prevent angina, not to treat an attack that has started. Ask your doctor what to do during an attack.
- Stand up slowly from sitting or lying down to avoid dizziness.
- If you miss a dose, take it when you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Do not take two doses together.
- Do not stop taking it on your own; talk to your doctor first.
Side effects of Angispan-TR 2.6
Most people take nitroglycerin without serious problems. Some side effects are common and mild, but a few need medical help.
Uncommon or mild
- Headache, which often fades after a few days of regular use
- Dizziness, weakness or tiredness
- Flushing of the face
- Nausea
Rare but serious: get medical help
- Fainting or loss of consciousness
- A heartbeat that is much faster or slower than usual
- Chest pain that is different from, or worse than, your usual angina
- New or worsening breathing difficulty, or blue or grey lips or skin
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat (a severe allergic reaction). Get medical help immediately
Who should be careful
Some people need to check with a doctor before taking Angispan-TR 2.6, or need extra care while taking it.
When the label says not to use it
- Allergy to nitroglycerin or any ingredient
- Taking sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil or riociguat
- Severe anaemia, raised pressure inside the head or shock, as set out in the label
- Erectile dysfunction medicines (sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil) and riociguat: never take together with this medicine
- Low blood pressure
- Recent head injury, bleeding in the brain or raised pressure inside the head
- Recent stroke, recent heart attack or heart problems other than angina
- Anaemia or glaucoma
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (a thickened heart muscle): nitrates can make the chest pain worse
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: human data are limited; ask your doctor
- Surgery or dental work: tell the doctor or dentist that you take it
Medicines and things that interact with Angispan-TR 2.6
Angispan-TR 2.6 can change how other medicines work, and some medicines change its effect. Tell your doctor or pharmacist about everything you take, including herbal remedies and medicines bought over the counter.
- Erectile dysfunction medicines such as sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil, and riociguat: the combination can cause a dangerous fall in blood pressure and must not be used
- Alcohol: lowers blood pressure and can add to dizziness
- Other blood pressure medicines and medicines that widen blood vessels: blood pressure may fall too low
If someone takes too much
Taking too much can cause headache, a fast heartbeat, dizziness and fainting. Call 112 or go to the nearest hospital if lips, tongue or skin turn blue or grey, and take the medicine pack with you. Do not drive yourself.
Storage
Store below 30 C in a dry place, in the original pack and protected from light and moisture, out of the reach of children. Do not use after the expiry date. Check the pack for the exact storage instructions.
Regulatory status in India
Approved for sale in India as a prescription medicine. Single-ingredient nitroglycerin is not on the CDSCO list of medicines banned under section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. This product is expected to contain nitroglycerin only; check the pack.
Other brands with the same medicine
Nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate) is sold under other brand names and in other forms, such as under-the-tongue tablets, sprays and patches. They do not all work the same way, so do not swap one for another without asking your doctor.
Other strengths and forms
Nitroglycerin is sold in several strengths and forms, such as sustained-release capsules, under-the-tongue tablets, sprays and patches. The strength and form are printed on the pack and are not the same across products, so check the label of the one you have.
Common questions
Is Angispan-TR 2.6 a prescription medicine?
Yes. It should be taken only if a doctor has prescribed it, and should not be started, stopped or changed without the doctor's advice.
What is nitroglycerin (GTN) used for?
It is a prescription medicine used for angina. Under-the-tongue forms relieve an attack, and long-acting forms such as sustained-release capsules and patches help prevent attacks. Which form you need is a doctor's decision.
Can nitroglycerin be taken with sildenafil?
No. Erectile dysfunction medicines such as sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil can cause a dangerous fall in blood pressure when combined with nitroglycerin. The labels forbid the combination. Tell every doctor and pharmacist.
Is the sustained-release capsule the same as the under-the-tongue tablet?
No. The under-the-tongue tablet or spray acts within minutes to relieve an attack. A sustained-release capsule releases the medicine slowly and is meant to help prevent attacks. They are not interchangeable without a doctor's advice.
Why does nitroglycerin cause headache?
It widens blood vessels, including those in the head. The NHS says headaches usually fade after a few days of regular use, and paracetamol is considered safe for them. See a doctor if the headache is severe or lasts over a week.
What if chest pain does not go away?
Chest pain that does not settle with rest or the medicine your doctor prescribed for attacks could be a heart attack. Call 112 or go to hospital at once and do not drive yourself.
What is the difference between Angispan-TR 2.6 and nitroglycerin 2.6 mg?
Angispan-TR 2.6 is a brand name and nitroglycerin is the medicine inside it. Generic tablets or capsules contain the same active ingredient. Check the strength and form on the pack, and ask your doctor before switching products.
Sources
- Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets: prescribing information. DailyMed, US National Library of Medicine
- Side effects of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). NHS (UK)
- Who can and cannot take glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). NHS (UK)
- How and when to take glyceryl trinitrate (GTN). NHS (UK)
- Angina. NHS (UK)
- ATC/DDD Index: C01DA Organic nitrates. WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology
- List of drugs prohibited for manufacture and sale through gazette notifications under section 26A of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)