If I Get An Angina Attack During Sexual Intercourse And I Have Taken Viagra, Should I Use Nitroglycerin?

Dr. Mehra answers the question: 'Safety Of Viagra, Nitroglycerin, Angina?'

By
Mandeep Mehra, M.D., Chief of Cardiology, University of Maryland Medical Center; Professor of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine
May 2, 2008, 4:30 PM ET
1 min read

— -- Question: If I get an attack of angina during sexual intercourse and I have taken Viagra within the last 24 hours, should I use nitroglycerin?

Answer: You must inform your health care professional if you've taken Viagra and are in a position where you need other blood pressure-lowering medications including nitroglycerin. It is an absolute contra indication to use nitroglycerin in the presence of Viagra within 24 hours.

And the reason for this is that it can lower blood pressure so precipitously, that even our conventional medications or blood pressure enhancing therapies -- like giving fluids through intravenous techniques or giving blood pressure medications that can tighten up your vasculature -- do not work well in that setting. And one can die and it can be a fatal event.

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