Sustained release organic nitrite therapy

A method of vasodilator therapy for treating a patient suffering from a condition requiring such therapy, comprising the long-term, continuous administration of an organic nitrite to the patient in a dosage form capable of delivering a sufficient therapeutic amount of said nitrite to the bloodstream of the patient, thereby providing effective vasodilator therapy for at least 24 hours without development of tolerance in the patient, said nitrite being selected from the group consisting of 1,3-propane dinitrite, 1,7-heptane dinitrite, cyclohexylmethyl nitrite, 2-phenylethyl nitrite, 3-chloro-2,2 dimethylpropyl nitrite, tert-amyl nitrite, 2-methyl-2-hexyl nitrite, hexyl nitrite, 2-methyl-1,3-propane dinitrite, 2,2,dimethyl-1,3-propane dinitrite, 2-methyl-2-propyl-1,3-propane dinitrite, 3-hexyl nitrite, octyl nitrite, 4-methyl-2-pentyl nitrite, 4-methyl-1-pentyl nitrite, 2-heptyl nitrite, 3-octyl nitrite, 2-methyl-2-pentyl nitrite, 5-methyl-2-hexyl nitrite, 6-methyl-2-heptyl nitrite, glyceryl dinitrite, glyceryl mononitrite, isosorbide 5-mononitrite, isoidide 5-mononitrite, isomannide 5-mononitrite, pentaerythrityl mononitrite, pentaerythrityl dinitrite, pentaerythrityl trinitrite and pentaerythrityl tetranitrite.