LOCALLY APPLIED TRANSDERMAL NITRATE PATCHES FOR THE TREATMENT OF ISCHEMIC REST PAIN

Patients with severe peripheral vascular disease may suffer considerab le pain which can be difficult to control with conventional analgesics . We sought to assess the analgesic effect of transdermal nitrate patc hes in such patients. A prospective trial was performed in 15 patients with ischaemic rest pain due to atherosclerotic peripheral vascular d isease, Pain control and oral analgesic requirement were assessed, Fou rteen of the 15 had a good or moderate response to the nitrate patches with a subsequent reduction in oral analgesic requirement, The patien ts with primarily small vessel disease had the greatest improvement in pain control, We conclude that topical nitrates may be used to provid e rapid and safe analgesia for patients with ischaemic rest pain.