If you cannot tolerate ACE inhibitors or ARBs, you may be prescribed hydralazine and nitrates. When taken together, they relax your blood vessels and decrease how hard your heart has to work to pump blood through your body.
The most common combination is hydralazine (Apresoline®) and isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil®).
Side effects
Important
If you have any of the side effects listed here, call your health care provider.
Side effects of these medicines when taken together are:
dizziness
headaches
nausea and vomiting.
Call your health care provider if you have any of these side effects.
When to call your health care provider
Call your health care provider if you have any of the following while taking hydralazine:
dizziness
prolonged/severe headache
skin blisters
joint/muscle pain
skin rash/itch
fever
sore throat.
When to call your health care provider
Call your health care provider if you have any of the following while taking nitrates:
Caution
Do not use Viagra® (sildenfil) with nitrates because the combination will further decrease your blood pressure, which can lead to death.
dry mouth
blurred vision
severe/prolonged headache
blushed color to your lips/fingernails
fast pulse.
Side effects that go away after use for hydralazine include:
Important
If you have any of the side effects listed here, call your health care provider.
facial flushing/redness
headache
loss of appetite
nausea/vomiting
constipation.
Side effects that go away after use for nitrates include:
