Minitran (Glyceryl Trinitrate)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Minitran Used For?
Minitran is a medicated patch that contains glyceryl trinitrate, which belongs to a group of medicines called nitrates. When applied to your skin, the medicine passes slowly through your skin into your bloodstream in a controlled way.
Primary Uses
Minitran is used to help prevent angina attacks (chest pain). It is not used to treat an angina attack once it has already started.
How It Works
The glyceryl trinitrate causes your blood vessels to relax and increases the supply of blood and oxygen to your heart, reducing the likelihood of having an angina attack.
Good to know: The patch delivers medicine in a controlled way throughout the day, providing steady protection against angina attacks.
How to Take Minitran
Minitran patches should be applied to clean, dry skin at the same time each day. Your doctor will prescribe the correct dose for you and may start with a smaller patch and increase the size if needed.
Dosage Instructions
Apply a new patch at the same time every day, usually in the morning. Remove the patch at bedtime to allow for an 8-12 hour patch-free period. This helps maintain the medicine’s effectiveness. Apply to chest, shoulders, upper arm, or back on clean, dry, non-hairy skin. Use a different skin site each time and wait several days before reusing the same area.
What If You Miss a Dose?
If you miss applying your patch at the usual time and it’s almost time for your next patch, skip the missed one and apply the next patch when scheduled. Otherwise, apply the patch as soon as you remember, respecting any prescribed patch-off period. If you forget to remove the patch at bedtime, remove it as soon as possible and continue your original schedule.
Important: Never use 2 patches to make up for a missed dose. This may increase your chance of getting unwanted side effects.
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Headache
- Reddening and itchiness of skin after removing patch
- Dizziness
- Light-headedness
- Low blood pressure
- Hot flushes
- Nausea and vomiting
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Signs of allergic reaction (rash, itching, hives, swelling of face/lips/tongue, shortness of breath, wheezing)
- Severe redness, swelling or blisters under the patch
- Chest pains not relieved by usual angina medicine
- Severe headache
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and situations where Minitran should not be used, and others where special care is needed.
Who Should Not Take Minitran
Do not use if you are allergic to glyceryl trinitrate or other nitrates/nitrites, have severe anemia, closed angle glaucoma, increased pressure in the head, heart valve disease or heart inflammation, take erectile dysfunction medicines (sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil), take certain lung blood pressure medicines (riociguat), or experience dizziness when standing up (postural hypotension).
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you have low blood pressure, heart problems other than angina, blood vessel disorders, or low oxygen levels in your blood. Your doctor may need to take special precautions.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
The safety of Minitran in pregnancy has not been established. It is unknown whether Minitran passes into breast milk. Check with your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.
Elderly Patients: Severe low blood pressure when standing upright may occur with even small doses, particularly in elderly patients. This may increase the risk of falls.
Drug Interactions
Some medicines may interfere with Minitran and affect how it works, particularly by increasing its blood pressure lowering effects.
Dangerous Interaction: Never use erectile dysfunction medicines or certain lung blood pressure medicines with Minitran – your blood pressure may fall to dangerously low levels.
- Other medicines for angina
- Medicines for high blood pressure or heart problems (diuretics, calcium channel blockers, beta blockers, ACE inhibitors)
- Tricyclic antidepressants
- Medicines for mental disorders
- Dihydroergotamine (for migraine)
- Erectile dysfunction medicines (sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil)
- Lung blood pressure medicines (riociguat, sildenafil, tadalafil)
Alcohol & Driving
Minitran can affect your blood pressure and make you feel dizzy or lightheaded, so special care is needed with alcohol and when driving.
Alcohol
Drinking alcohol while using Minitran is not recommended. Alcohol may increase the blood pressure lowering effects of Minitran, leading to dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Be careful when driving or operating machinery until you know how Minitran affects you. The medicine may lower your blood pressure and make you feel dizzy or lightheaded, particularly when changing position suddenly.
Storage
Store Minitran patches below 25°C in a cool, dry place. Do not store in the bathroom, near a sink, in the car, on windowsills, or in the fridge. Keep patches where children cannot reach them.
Overdose Information
If you think you have used too much Minitran, you may need urgent medical attention. Immediately phone the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), contact your doctor, or go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital, even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Minitran provides continuous protection against angina attacks throughout the day as the medicine passes slowly through your skin into your bloodstream in a controlled way.
Yes, you can bathe, shower and swim as normal when wearing a Minitran patch.
If a patch doesn’t stick or falls off, apply a new patch to a different area of clean, dry skin. Change the patch at the same time you would normally change it. Don’t reuse a patch once it has been removed.
No, do not use Minitran to relieve an attack of angina. Minitran will not relieve an attack once it has started. Your doctor will have given you other tablets or spray to use if you get angina attacks.
Do not stop using Minitran suddenly as this may bring on angina attacks, especially if you have been using it for several weeks or more. If your doctor asks you to stop, they will gradually reduce the dose over 4 to 6 weeks.
Your doctor will likely ask you to take the patch off for 8 to 12 hours every 24 hours (like at bedtime). This patch-free period helps maintain the effectiveness of the medicine.
Apply the patch to your chest, shoulders, upper arm or back. Don’t apply to your lower arm or lower leg. Choose clean, dry, non-hairy skin and use a different area each time.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.