Pain Management

Transdermal Nitroglycerine

Berrazueta and colleageus (1996) first used transdermal nitroglycerine has been previously used for treating shoulder tendinopathy. In muscle cells of blood vessels, nitroglycerine (NT) transforms into nitric oxide. Nitric oxide has been shown to play a role in tendon repair by enhancing fibroblast regeneration and vasodilation (Murrell 2007).

Author Year

Country
PEDro Score
Research Design
Total Sample Size

 Methods Outcome
Giner-Pascual et al. 2011

Spain

PCT

N=45

 Population: SCI: all subjects with tendinopathy of the shoulder; Type of pain=musculoskeletal.

Treatment: Patients were divided into a treatment and placebo group. The treatment group received a quarter of a 1.25mg NT patch over the shoulder and were followed for 6-months. The placebo group received a placebo patch.

Outcome Measures: SCIM; WUSPI; VAS.

 1.     Significant improvement was seen in the primary outcome measures including SCIM, WUSPI, and VAS at 6 month follow-up.

2.     Those in the treatment group reported a number of side effects including headaches, facial reddening, dizziness, and tachycardia.

Discussion

One prospective controlled trial found transdermal NT patch was effective in improving pain intensity and functional movements among people with shoulder tendinopathy post SCI. Safety of the treatment is yet to be assessed.

Conclusion

There is level 2 evidence (from one prospective controlled trial: Giner-Pascual et al. 2011) that Transdermal Nitroglycerine reduces post-SCI shoulder tendinopathy pain.

Transdermal Nitroglycerine may reduce post-SCI should tendinopathy pain.

Chapter Downloads
Patient Handouts
Outcome Measures
Toolkits
Active Clinical Trials