Tier 2 — strong

Combined use of nitroglycerin and N-acetylcysteine in the management of unstable angina pectoris

J D Horowitz, C A Henry, M L Syrjanen, W J Louis, R D Fish, T W Smith, E M Antman
Circulation 1988 77(4):787-794

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 3127076
DOI
10.1161/01.cir.77.4.787
Funding
Funding disclosure was not located in the indexed record reviewed; consult the source publication for the full funding statement.
Competing interests
Competing-interest disclosure was not located in the indexed record reviewed; consult the source publication for the full declaration.

Study snapshot

DesignDouble-blind clinical trial
ModelHuman
Sample46 randomized patients with severe unstable angina; additional 20-patient follow-up cohort
InterventionIntravenous nitroglycerin plus NAC versus nitroglycerin plus placebo
DurationAcute hospital treatment
EndpointsChest pain; Myocardial infarction; Hypotension

What the study showed, in plain terms

Clinically important demonstration that NAC can potentiate nitrate-related cardiovascular effects.

Key findings

The combination reduced myocardial infarction events in this small trial but caused substantially more symptomatic hypotension.

What this study can and cannot tell us

High-dose IV NAC in unstable angina; does not quantify risk from typical oral supplements but establishes a meaningful nitroglycerin interaction signal.

Editorial review

Reviewed by the Biohack Blueprint research team

Last verified

Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology