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Nitroglycerin

(Science: chemistry) A liquid appearing like a heavy oil, colourless or yellowish, and consisting of a mixture of several glycerin salts of nitric acid, and hence more properly called glycerin nitrate.

It is made by the action of nitric acid on glycerin in the presence of sulphuric acid. It is extremely unstable and terribly explosive. A very dilute solution is used in medicine as a neurotic under the name of glonion.

A great number of explosive compounds have been produced by mixing nitroglycerin with different substances; as, dynamite, or giant powder, nitroglycerin mixed with siliceous earth; lithofracteur, nitroglycerin with gunpowder, or with sawdust and nitrate of sodium or barium; Colonia powder, gunpowder with nitroglycerin; dualin, nitroglycerin with sawdust, or with sawdust and nitrate of potassium and some other substances; lignose, wood fibre and nitroglycerin.

pharmacologic action: relaxes smooth muscle - dilates veins, dilates coronary arteries, reduces left ventricular filling pressure, lowers systemic vascular resistance, decreases myocardial oxygen demand.

uses: treat angina pectoris.

dose: One tablet (0.3 to 624

0.4 mg) sublingual, may repeat twice at 5 minute intervals intravenous infusion: 0.5 - 2 mcg/kg per min.

potential complications: May cause hypotension, especially if hypovolemic; headache is common.

alternative forms: nitroglycerine.

Origin: Nitro- _ glycerinn.