[The problem of tolerance to nitrates and the means to resolve it in patients with exertional stenocardia].

The problem of nitrates tolerance and resistance has been studied for 10 years in a number of clinical pharmacological cross-over studies in patients with stable angina of effort by specially devised pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic methods. Both single doses in different medicinal forms and long-term course intake of nitrates were investigated. The results led the authors to the following conclusions: 1) tolerance to isosorbide dinitrate arises in 58% of the patients for 6-12 weeks under regular administration of the drug; 2) transdermal nitroglycerin (nitroderm) and in a less degree oral sustak under long-term treatment regimens become tolerable, whereas a buccal form (trinitrolong) secures a prolonged stable effect; 3) tolerance develops in 2-month administration of oral isosorbide-5-mononitrate; 4) donors of SH-group (methionine) and inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme with SH-group and without it (captopril and perindopril, respectively) in single doses potentiate an antianginal effect of isosorbide dinitrate (even in initial resistance to nitrate), being ineffective in its absence; 5) molsidomine is promising in long-term regimens as an antianginal drug alternative to nitrates.