Amyl Nitrite (Systemic)

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For amyl nitrite, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to amyl nitrite or nitrates. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods or dyes.

Pregnancy - Studies on effects in pregnancy have not been done in either humans or animals. However, use of amyl nitrite is not recommended during pregnancy because it could cause serious problems in the unborn baby.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether amyl nitrite passes into breast milk. However, use of amyl nitrite is not recommended during breast-feeding, because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients and there is no specific information comparing use of amyl nitrite in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Dizziness or lightheadedness may be more likely to occur in the elderly, who are usually more sensitive to the effects of amyl nitrite.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking amyl nitrite, it is especially important that your health care professional knows if you are taking any of the following:

• Amantadine (e.g., Symmetrel) or
• Antidepressants (medicine for depression) or
• Antihypertensives (high blood pressure medicine) or
• Antipsychotics (medicine for mental illness) or
• Bromocriptine (e.g., Parlodel) or
• Diuretics (water pills) or
• Levodopa (e.g., Dopar) or
• Medicine for heart disease or
• Nabilone (e.g., Cesamet) - in high doses or
• Narcotic pain medicine or
• Nimodipine (e.g., Nimotop) or
• Pentamidine (e.g., Pentam) or
• Pimozide (e.g., Orap) or
• Promethazine (e.g., Phenergan) or
• Trimeprazine (e.g., Temaril) - May increase dizziness or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position
• Sildenafil - May increase the blood pressure-lowering effects of amyl nitrite

It is also important that your health care professional knows if you are using any of the following medicines in the eye:

• Levobunolol (e.g., Betagan) or
• Metipranolol (e.g., Optipranolol) or
• Timolol (e.g., Timoptic) - May increase dizziness or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of amyl nitrite. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Anemia (severe)

• Glaucoma - Amyl nitrite may make this condition worse

• Overactive thyroid

• Recent stroke, heart attack, or head injury