Taking nitroglycerin while insulin is active might lower how much sugar the heart uses, even if blood flow to the heart stays the same.

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Pro

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Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

40

Community contributions welcome

40

Insulin-Stimulated Myocardial Glucose Uptake and the Relation to Perfusion and the Nitric Oxide System

Cross-Sectional Study

Human

2004 Jan-Feb

The study found that giving nitroglycerin while stimulating insulin lowers heart glucose use without changing blood flow, which supports the idea that nitroglycerin affects how the heart takes in sugar regardless of blood supply.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Insulin-Stimulated Myocardial Glucose Uptake and the Relation to Perfusion and the Nitric Oxide System

Score: 40

DOI: 10.1159/000076127

Similar Assertions

When the body can't make nitric oxide, blood flow to the heart drops, but the heart still takes in sugar normally when insulin is around — meaning nitric oxide isn't needed for insulin to help the heart use sugar.

40

0

86%

In healthy adults, insulin doesn't make blood vessels relax more when nitric oxide is already at work — meaning insulin probably doesn't improve blood flow by boosting the muscle's response to nitric oxide.

38

0

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Insulin helps more blood flow to muscles in rats and people by using a substance called nitric oxide, which helps sugar get into muscle cells better.

2

0

73%

In healthy middle-aged people, insulin helps the heart take in more sugar for fuel, but it doesn't make more blood flow to the heart. That means the heart can get more sugar without needing more blood flow.

40

0

73%

Insulin helps blood vessels relax better when the signal comes from the vessel lining, but not when the signal bypasses it—meaning insulin probably boosts the lining's ability to release a blood-vessel-relaxing chemical called nitric oxide.

38

0

71%