Many patients will subpackage a few tablets of GTN sublingual tablet and put them into a transparent container to carry them conveniently. The fact that its active ingredient, glyceryl trinitrate is very sensitive to heat and moisture, which might cause the medicine to become ineffective. 

GTN sublingual tablet is used to relieve sudden chest pain attack and temporarily relieve your discomfort for emergency situation. Therefore, it is very important to always carry your GTN for sudden angina attack. There are three crucial storage points to be aware of:

Avoid heat: Tablet should keep in a cool place. It is recommended to put the original bottle of tablets in your bag when carry them outside.  Avoid to put the medicine near your body, for example store in pants pocket as your body heat may cause it to become ineffective.

Avoid light: Medicine should be stored in the original amber bottles in order to avoid light. Do not transfer the tablets to other containers and keep the bottle tightly closed. Discard 8 weeks after opening.

Reduce humidity: Patient should avoid storing the medicine in humid area and keep the original bottle in a dry place. Do not store them in the fridge.

 

Reference:

Australian Medicines Handbook 2020

Hospital Authority. 心臟科藥物之抗心絞痛藥2019. Available at: https://www.ha.org.hk/

DERC HK. 2020. Available at: https://bit.ly/3kwIam3

Contributed by registered pharmacist