Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
Patient leaflets and SmPCs, drug interaction checker, official dosages and NHS pharmacy opening hours — all in one place.
The electronic medicines compendium (emc) no longer publishes a Summary of Product Characteristics for this product, which usually means it is no longer marketed in the UK. The patient leaflet below is kept for reference, but the product may not be available.
If you were prescribed this medicine, other products containing Isosorbide dinitrate may still be available. Do not stop your treatment — ask your pharmacist or GP what to use instead.
for Isoket belongs to a group of medicines called organic nitrates. Organic nitrates work by widening the blood vessels in your heart to allow an increased amount of blood to flow to areas which need it. Isoket is used to treat heart failure (heart problems that can cause shortness of breath or ankle swelling) and angina pectoris. Angina usually feels like a tight pain in the chest, neck or arm area. It is also used sometimes during surgical procedures on the heart.
e Isoket Do not use Isoket if: You are allergic to isosorbide dinitrate, other nitrates or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6) You suffer from anaemia (reduction in red blood cells which can make the skin pale and cause weakness or breathlessness) You have had a brain haemorrhage (bleeding) You have had a head injury (head trauma) or raised intracranial pressure (high pressure within your skull) You have a low blood volume (hypovolaemia) You have very low blood pressure Your blood has stopped circulating around your body properly (circulatory failure) You have cardiogenic shock (your heart is not delivering enough oxygen around your body)
You have constrictive pericarditis (inflammation of the sack-like covering of your heart) You have cardiac tamponade or hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (conditions which affect the ability of your heart to function as a pump) You have aortic or mitral valve stenosis (narrowing of the heart valves) You have an eye disease called glaucoma You take sildenafil ("Viagra") or any other phosphodiesterase inhibitor. You take products that contain riociguat, a medicine used in treating pulmonary hypertension.
Warnings and precautions Talk to your doctor or nurse before using Isoket if: You have hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland which can cause tiredness or weight gain) You are malnourished (severely underfed) You have liver or kidney disease You suffer from hypothermia (a very low body temperature) You have other heart problems or a family history of heart problems You suffer from orthostatic syndrome, (where you may have a rapid heart rate and lightheadedness on standing) You have an abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood and impaired gas exchange due to lung disease or ischaemic heart disease Other medicines and Isoket Do not take Isoket with phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as sildenafil ("Viagra") tadalafil, vardenafil, used for impotence. Using Isoket with these medicines could cause your blood pressure to fall to a dangerously low level. Do not take Isoket with products that contain riociguat.
Tell your doctor or nurse if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including: Medicines to lower your blood pressure. They could increase the effect of Isoket and lower your blood pressure too much. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (used to treat depression) Tricyclic antidepressants (used to treat depression) and neuroleptics (used to treat anxiety). These may also increase the effect of Isoket. Dihydroergotamine (used to treat migraine). This could increase your blood pressure too much. Sapropterin used for phenylketonuria (PKU). Any other medicine, including medicines obtained without a prescription. Isoket with alcohol Do not drink alcohol. It could increase the effect of Isoket and lower your blood pressure too much. If this happens, you may feel dizzy or faint. Pregnancy and breast-feeding If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or nurse for advice before using this medicine. Driving and using machines Isoket may give you a headache, or make you feel dizzy or tired. If this happens to you, do not drive or operate machinery.
Isoket contains sodium Isoket 1 mg/ml contains 3.54 mg/ml of sodium and may not be suitable for people on a controlled sodium diet. Tell your doctor or nurse before taking Isoket if this applies to you.
Isoket Important: Your doctor will choose the dose that is right for you. If you have any questions ask your doctor. Isoket is a concentrate for intravenous infusion (injected into a vein) and intracoronary injection (injected directly into the artery serving the heart). Isoket is a concentrate and must be diluted before use. Your doctor or nurse will dilute Isoket with either saline (salt water) or glucose solution before it is given to you. Adults When this medicine is given intravenously (injected into a vein), the usual dose will be between 2 mg and 12 mg per hour, although sometimes as much as 20 mg per hour is necessary. When used during surgical procedures on the heart the usual dose is 1 mg injected directly into the heart. Further doses may be given if your doctor thinks it necessary. As this medicine is used in hospital, your heart beat (pulse) and blood pressure will be carefully monitored whilst you are being given Isoket. This is to make sure that your medicine is working properly and that the dose you are taking is right for you. Use in children This medicine is not suitable for children. If you think you have been given too much Isoket As this medicine will be given to you by a doctor or nurse, it is unlikely that you will be given too much or too little. An overdose of Isoket may cause your blood pressure to be too low resulting in paleness, sweating, weak pulse, fast heartbeat, light-headedness on standing, headache, weakness, dizziness, feeling sick, being sick and diarrhoea. If you have any concerns about this tell your doctor or nurse. If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or nurse.
Like all medicines this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. Stop taking this medicine and seek immediate medical help if you have any of the following symptoms: Swelling of the face or throat, causing difficulty in breathing or wheezing Fainting or collapse Swelling or blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals (Stevens-Johnson syndrome). Speak to your doctor or nurse if you have any of the following symptoms: Very common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
headache
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people) dizziness drowsiness have a faster heart beat (tachycardia) weakness light-headedness on standing Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people) feeling sick vomiting a reduced blood flow to the brain and heart, causing you to feel faint or dizzy symptoms of angina (chest pain) may be increased skin rash or flushing Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people) heartburn Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data) red or scaly skin (exfoliate dermatitis) Reporting of side effects If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Isoket Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children. Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. This medicine does not require any special storage conditions when it is unopened. Once opened the product should be used immediately. Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your nurse how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
What Isoket contains The active substance is isosorbide dinitrate. Isoket 1 mg/ml contains 1 mg of isosorbide dinitrate in each ml of solution. The other ingredients are sodium chloride, water for injections and hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide for pH adjustment. What Isoket looks like and contents of the pack Isoket is a concentrate for solution for infusion and injection. It is a clear solution.
Isoket 1 mg/ml comes in 10 ml glass ampoules. Each ampoule contains 10 mg of isosorbide dinitrate in 10 ml of solution. Marketing Authorisation Holder Norgine Pharmaceuticals Limited ARC Uxbridge, Building 01, Sanderson Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1DH, UK Manufacturer Aesica Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Alfred-Nobel-Straße 10, 40789 Monheim, Germany This leaflet was last revised in March 2025. If this leaflet is difficult to see or read or you would like it in a different format, please contact: Norgine Pharmaceuticals Limited ARC Uxbridge, Building 01, Sanderson Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1DH, UK
Isoket 1 mg/ml concentrate for solution for injection of infusion Isosorbide dinitrate 10 ml ampoule The following information is intended for medical or healthcare professionals only. It supplements the information provided above in Section 3. Posology and Method of Administration Adults, including the elderly population Intravenous route A dose of between 2 mg and 12 mg per hour is usually satisfactory. However, dosages up to 20 mg per hour administered should be adjusted to the patient response. Intra-coronary route The usual dose is 1 mg given as a bolus injection prior to balloon inflation. Further doses may be given not exceeding 5 mg within a 30 minute period. Paediatric population The safety and efficacy of Isoket has not been established in children. Method of administration Isoket is a concentrated solution and must be diluted prior to use. The diluted solution should never be injected directly in the form of bolus except via the intracoronary route prior to balloon inflation. A dilution of 50% is advocated for intracoronary administration. Isoket can be administered as an intravenous admixture with a suitable vehicle, see below. Prepared Isoket admixtures should be given by intravenous infusion or with the aid of a syringe pump incorporating a glass of rigid plastic syringe. During administration the patient's blood pressure and pulse should be closely monitored. Admixtures are stable for approximately 24 hours at room temperature in the recommended containers. Open ampoules should be used immediately and any unused drug discarded. Incompatibilities Isoket contains isosorbide dinitrate in isotonic solution and is compatible with commonly employed infusion fluids, such as sodium chloride solution, glucose, Ringer's solution and solutions containing albumin. No incompatibilities have so far been demonstrated. Isoket is compatible with glass infusion bottles and infusion packs made from polyethylene. Isoket may be infused slowly using a syringe pump with glass or plastic syringe. The use of PVC giving sets and containers should be avoided since significant losses of the active ingredient by adsorption can occur. Example of admixture preparation To obtain a dose of 6 mg per hour, add 50 ml of Isoket 1 mg/ml to 450 ml of a suitable vehicle, under aseptic conditions.
The resultant admixture (500 ml) contains 100 μg/ml (1 mg/10 ml) isosorbide dinitrate. An infusion rate of 60 ml per hour (equivalent to 60 paediatric microdrops per minute or 20 standard drops per minute) will deliver the required dose of 6 mg per hour. Should it be necessary to reduce fluid intake, 100 ml of Isoket 0.1% may be diluted to 500 ml using a suitable vehicle. The resultant solution now contains 200 μg/ml (2 mg/10 ml) isosorbide dinitrate. An infusion rate of 30 ml per hour (equivalent to 30 paediatric microdrops per minute or 10 standard drops per minute), will deliver the required dose of 6 mg per hour. A dilution of 50% is advocated to produce a solution containing 0.5 mg/ml where fluid intake is strictly limited. This leaflet was last revised in March 2025.
Isoket 1 mg/ml concentrate for solution for injection or infusion comes as injection containing 1mg/ml. Always follow the dose your doctor or pharmacist has given you, and read the leaflet that comes with the medicine.
The active substance in Isoket 1 mg/ml concentrate for solution for injection or infusion is isosorbide dinitrate.
This leaflet reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for Isoket 1 mg/ml concentrate for solution for injection or infusion, as published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). The version printed inside your medicine’s packaging is the one that applies to you.
Whether a medicine is available over the counter or on prescription only depends on its licence. Check the leaflet, or ask your pharmacist — they can tell you straight away.
The text above reproduces the patient information leaflet approved for this medicine, restructured for easier reading.
1. Intravenous
Isoket is indicated in the treatment of unresponsive left ventricular failure secondary to acute myocardial infarction, unresponsive left ventricular failure of various aetiology and severe or unstable angina pectoris.
2. Intra-coronary
Isoket is indicated during percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty to facilitate prolongation of balloon inflation and to prevent or relieve coronary spasm.
Posology
Adults, including the elderly population
Intravenous route
A dose of between 2 mg and 12 mg per hour is usually satisfactory. However, dosages up to 20 mg per hour administered should be adjusted to the patient response.
Intra-coronary Route
The usual dose is 1 mg given as a bolus injection prior to balloon inflation. Further doses maybe given not exceeding 5 mg within a 30 minute period.
Paediatric population
The safety and efficacy of Isoket has not yet been established in children.
Method of administration:
Isoket is a concentrated solution and must be diluted prior use. The diluted solution should never be injected directly in the form of a bolus except via the intra-coronary route prior to balloon inflation. A dilution of 50% is advocated for intracoronary administration.
Isoket can be administered as an intravenous admixture with a suitable vehicle, see Section 6.6.
Prepared Isoket admixtures should be given by intravenous infusion or with the aid of a syringe pump incorporating a glass or rigid plastic syringe. During administration the patient's blood pressure and pulse should be closely monitored.
Hypersensitivity to the active substance, other nitrates or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
These are common to all nitrates: marked anaemia, cerebral haemorrhage, head trauma, diseases associated with an increased intracranial pressure, hypovolaemia, severe hypotension (systolic blood pressure less than 90mmHg), aortic and/or mitral valve stenosis, closed angle glaucoma.
Use in circulatory collapse or low filling pressure is also contraindicated.
Isoket should not be used in the treatment of cardiogenic shock (unless some means of maintaining an adequate diastolic pressure is undertaken), hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, constrictive pericarditis or cardiac tamponade.
Phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitors (e.g. sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil) have been shown to potentiate the hypotensive effects of nitrates. Therefore, Isoket must not be given to patients receiving phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (see section 4.5).
During nitrate therapy, the soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat must not be used (see section 4.5).
Isoket should be used with caution and under medical supervision in patients who are suffering from:
• hypothyroidism
• malnutrition
• severe liver or renal disease
• hypothermia
• orthostatic syndrome
The development of tolerance (decrease in efficacy) as well as cross tolerance towards other nitrate-type drugs (decrease in effect in case of a prior therapy with another nitrate drug) has been described. For a decrease in, or loss of, effect to be prevented, continuously high dosages must be avoided.
Blood pressure and pulse rate should always be monitored and the dose adjusted according to the patient's response.
Acute therapy with ISDN (i.v. 0.05% and 0.1%, tablets 5 and 10mg, or oromucosal spray) must not be used in patients who have recently taken phosphodiesterase inhibitors (e.g., sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil) the intervening 24 hours (48 hours for tadalafil).
Hypoxaemia
Caution should be exercised in patients with hypoxaemia and ventilation/perfusion imbalance due to lung disease or ischaemic heart failure. As a potent vasodilator, ISDN could result in increased perfusion of poorly ventilated areas, worsening of the ventilation/perfusion imbalance, and a further decrease in the arterial partial pressure of oxygen.
During treatment with ISDN alcohol should be avoided as it may potentiate the hypotensive and vasodilating effect of ISDN (see Section 4.5).
Isoket contains 0.15mmol (3.54mg) of sodium per ml and should be taken into consideration by patients on a controlled sodium diet.
Concurrent intake of drugs with blood pressure lowering properties e.g. beta-blockers, calcium channel antagonists, vasodilators, ACE-inhibitors, monoamine oxidase inhibitors etc. and /or alcohol may potentiate the hypotensive effect of Isoket. This might also occur with neuroleptics and tricyclic antidepressants.
The concurrent intake of ISDN with ACE-inhibitors or arterial vasodilators could be a desirable interaction, unless the antihypertensive effects are excessive in which case consider reducing the dose of one or both drugs
Also phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors e.g. sildenafil, potentiate the hypotensive effects of Isoket. This might lead to life-threatening cardiovascular complications, see section 4.3.
Patients who have recently taken phosphodiesterase inhibitors (e.g., sildenafil, vardenafil, tadalafil) therefore must not receive acute ISDN therapy within the next 24 hours for sildenafil and vardenafil, or within the next 48 hours for tadalafil.
Reports suggest that, when administered concomitantly, Isoket may increase the blood level of dihydroergotamine and its hypertensive effect.
Sapropterin (Tetrahydrobiopterine, BH4) is a cofactor for nitric oxide synthetase. Caution is recommended during concomitant use of sapropterin-containing medicine with all agents that cause vasodilation by affecting nitric oxide (NO) metabolism or action, including classical NO donors (e.g. glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN), isosorbide 5-mononitrate (5-ISMN) and others).
The use of isosorbide dinitrate with riociguat, a soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator, is contraindicated (see section 4.3) since concomitant use can cause hypotension.
Pregnancy and lactation
No data have been reported which would indicate the possibility of adverse effect resulting from the use of isosorbide dinitrate in pregnancy. Safety in pregnancy, however, has not been established. Isosorbide dinitrate should only be used in pregnancy and during lactation if, in the opinion of the physician, the possible benefits of treatment outweigh the possible hazards.
Available evidence is inconclusive or inadequate for determining infant risk when used during breastfeeding. There is data that nitrates are excreted in breast milk and may cause methemoglobinemia in infants. The extent of excretion of isosorbide dinitrate and its metabolites in human breast milk has not been determined. Therefore, caution is appropriate when administering this agent to lactating women.
Fertility
There is no data available on the effect of ISDN on fertility in humans.
As for other drugs which produce changes in blood pressure, patients taking Isoket should be warned not to drive or operate machinery if they experience dizziness or related symptoms.
Undesirable effects frequencies are defined as: very common (≥1/10), common (≥1/100, <1/10), uncommon (≥1/1,000, <1/100), rare (≥1/10,000, <1/1,000), very rare (<1/10,000), not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).
During administration of Isoket the following undesirable effects may be observed:
Nervous system disorders:
very common: headache
common: dizziness, somnolence.
Cardiac disorders:
common: tachycardia
uncommon: angina pectoris aggravated.
Vascular disorders:
common: orthostatic hypotension
uncommon: collapse (sometimes accompanied by bradyarrhythmia and syncope).
not known: hypotension
Gastrointestinal disorders:
uncommon: nausea, vomiting
very rare: heartburn.
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders:
uncommon: allergic skin reactions (e.g. rash), flushing very rare: angioedema, Stevens-Johnson-Syndrome not known: exfoliative dermatitis.
General disorders and administration site conditions: common: asthenia
Severe hypotensive responses have been reported for organic nitrates including nausea, vomiting, restlessness, pallor, and excessive perspiration.
During treatment with Isoket a temporary hypoxemia may occur due to a relative redistribution of the blood flow in hypoventilated alveolar areas. Particularly in patients with coronary artery disease this may lead to a myocardial hypoxia.
Reporting of suspected adverse reactions
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the Yellow Card Scheme, www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
Symptoms:
• Fall of blood pressure ≤90 mmHg
• Pallor
• Sweating
• Weak pulse
• Tachycardia
• Postural dizziness
• Headache
• Asthenia
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Methaemoglobinaemia has been reported in patients receiving other organic nitrates. During isosorbide dinitrate biotransformation nitrite ions are released, which may induce methaemoglobinaemia and cyanosis with subsequent tachypnoea, anxiety, loss of consciousness and cardiac arrest. It cannot be excluded that an overdose of Isoket may cause this adverse reaction.
• In very high doses the intracranial pressure may be increased. This might lead to cerebral symptoms.
General procedure:
• Stop delivery of the drug
• General procedures in the event of nitrate-related hypotension:
- The patient must be laid down with lowered head and raised legs
- Supply oxygen
- Expand plasma volume (i.v. fluids)
- Specific shock treatment (admit patient to intensive care unit)
Special procedure:
• Raise the blood pressure if the blood pressure is very low.
• Vasopressors should be used only in patients who do not respond to adequate fluid resuscitation.
• Additional administration of noradrenaline or other vasoconstrictors.
• Treatment of methaemoglobinaemia
- Reduction therapy of choice with vitamin C, methylene-blue, or toluidine-blue
- Administer oxygen (if necessary)
- Initiate artificial ventilation
• Resuscitation measures
In case of signs of respiratory and circulatory arrest, initiate resuscitation measures immediately.
Ask anything about Isoket 1 mg/ml concentrate for solution for injection or infusion. The assistant answers only from this leaflet — if the leaflet does not cover it, it will say so. It does not give medical advice.
Answers come from the patient leaflet published on the electronic medicines compendium (emc). They are not medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your GP if you are unsure. For urgent help call NHS 111, or 999 in an emergency.
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