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Season Four Research Files
Episode Four
10:00am - 11:00am
In medicine, nitroglycerin is used as a heart medication to prevent chest pain (angina). Angina occurs when the coronary arteries become constricted and are not able to carry sufficient oxygen to the heart muscle.
Nitroglycerin works by widening the blood vessels to the heart so that the blood flow and oxygen supply to the heart is increased. This causes chest pains to subside, blood pressure to decrease and heart rate to increase. Nitroglycerin is converted to nitric oxide in the body, which naturally relaxes the blood vessels. Nitroglycerin controls chest pain but does not cure it. It may lose its effectiveness when used for a long time.
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