[Are nitrate compounds effective when administered orally? Results of pharmacokinetic and hemodynamic studies].

Several reports had concluded that nitrates were not efficacious when administered by the oral route, on the basis of experiments which had shown a rapid denitration by the liver enzyme glutathion-organic nitrate reductase. Recent data demonstrate the efficacy of nitrates on parameters measured at cardiac catheterisation and echocardiography on condition that adequate doses are used. Doses commonly used up to now are often inadequate. The demonstration in the blood, after oral administration of adequate doses, of concentration of non-metabolized nitrates which are of the same order as those obtained after sublingual administration of clinically efficacious doses, confirms the efficacy of nitrates administered by the oral route.