🚨 Caught in the Act: "Do You Have Your GTN? Take It!"
Just this Monday, I was sitting across from my GP during a routine discussion. We were talking, and without warning, the pain started. My GP was watching me and saw the subtle signs immediately. He stopped mid-sentence and said, "Do you have your GTN spray? Take It."
The fact that a medical professional recognized my symptoms in real-time, right there in the surgery, shows two things: first, how dangerous angina can be, and second, that this emergency spray is a non-negotiable part of my survival.
What Angina Is and What GTN Does
Living with Angina means I carry an emergency plan in my pocket: GTN (Glyceryl Trinitrate) spray or tablets. Angina is the pain or discomfort I get in my chest when my heart muscle isn't getting enough oxygen-rich blood due to narrowed arteries.
GTN is a fast-acting nitrate that works almost instantly by causing vasodilation (widening of the blood vessels). This quickly opens up the arteries, relieving the crushing pain and reducing the heart's workload.
🛑 Paramedic's Orders: Critical Safety Checklist
The power of GTN comes with a major danger: it aggressively drops blood pressure, which can cause dizziness, or worse, make you pass out (syncope), risking a dangerous fall. The safety protocol shared by my paramedic friends is non-negotiable:
SIT DOWN FIRST: Never take GTN while standing. If the spray works too well and your blood pressure crashes, sitting down prevents a life-threatening fall or head injury.
CHECK YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE: DO NOT take the GTN if your blood pressure (systolic, the top number) is already below 90 mmHg. If your BP is too low, the GTN could cause severe shock, requiring a 999 ambulance immediately.
The Angina Protocol (When to Call 999):
Sit Down and take one spray.
If the pain is not relieved after 5 minutes, take a second spray.
If the pain is still not relieved 5 minutes after the second spray (total 10 minutes), call 999 immediately. Do not wait for a third dose unless instructed by a paramedic or doctor.
This medication is an emergency lifeline, but using it correctly is absolutely life-saving.
If you carry a GTN spray, please treat it with the respect my GP and paramedics demand. Knowing the signs and following the protocol could be the difference between pain relief and a collapse.
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