Nitroglycerin is ordered for chest pain. It will be administered how?

Nitroglycerin is ordered for chest pain. It will be administered how?

• A. Orally
• B. Under the tongue
• C. Intravenously
• D. Topically

Answer: (B)

Sublingual administration is used for acute chest pain because it delivers nitroglycerin rapidly into the bloodstream by absorption through the under-tongue mucosa, bypassing the digestive system and hepatic first-pass metabolism. This allows a quick onset of action—usually within minutes—which is essential for relief of angina. Oral forms are slower and less reliable due to first-pass metabolism, making them unsuitable for immediate relief. Intravenous nitroglycerin is reserved for controlled, in-hospital use, not typical outside a clinical setting, while topical forms provide slower, ongoing effects more appropriate for prevention rather than immediate relief. Thus, placing the dose under the tongue provides the fastest, most effective relief for acute chest pain.

Sublingual administration is used for acute chest pain because it delivers nitroglycerin rapidly into the bloodstream by absorption through the under-tongue mucosa, bypassing the digestive system and hepatic first-pass metabolism. This allows a quick onset of action—usually within minutes—which is essential for relief of angina. Oral forms are slower and less reliable due to first-pass metabolism, making them unsuitable for immediate relief. Intravenous nitroglycerin is reserved for controlled, in-hospital use, not typical outside a clinical setting, while topical forms provide slower, ongoing effects more appropriate for prevention rather than immediate relief. Thus, placing the dose under the tongue provides the fastest, most effective relief for acute chest pain.