Why is nitroglycerin in short supply in Canada?

Patients with coronary artery disease in Canada have been facing months of shortages of the nitroglycerin drugs used to treat angina pain, forcing government regulators to extend the expiry dates on some products to stretch supplies further.The nitrogylcerin shortage is considered “tier 3”—a shortage with the greatest potential impact on Canadian drug supplies and healthcare systems because there are no available therapeutic alternatives.Jonathan Howlett, a cardiologist and chair of the Canadian Cardiovascular Society’s guidelines committee, says he is not aware of any major health complications arising from the shortage, but adds that it has been disruptive for patients and clinicians. “It’s creating a lot of anxiety, because we don’t have any substitute for people with chest pain or shortness of breath,” he says.For many, the only way to deal with the shortage is to change their lifestyle, says Howlett, avoiding activities that tend to cause them chest pain—even things as…
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