Where Are Nitrates Used?

What are nitrates (nitrate medications)? Nitrates are medications used for treating or preventing heart pain (angina, chest pain) caused by heart disease, usually of the arteries in the heart.

What are nitrates used for in the body?

Nitrates work by relaxing the walls of blood vessels, which makes them slightly wider. By relaxing the blood vessels on the surface of the heart, the heart can get more blood flow and oxygen. That helps to treat angina, which is caused by not enough blood flow getting to the heart.

Where are nitrates present?

Nitrate occurs naturally and at safe and healthy levels in some foods (such as spinach and carrots) and comes from natural processes, such as plant decay. Nitrate is in many fertilizers used on yards, golf courses, and crops. Other sources of nitrate include discharge from sewage systems and animal wastes.