Nicotinic Acid [Niacin]

Niacin is used alongside diet to lower raised TC, LDL-C, Apo B and TG levels and to raise HDL-C in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia (heterozygous familial and nonfamilial) and mixed dyslipidemia, when diet alone has not given an adequate response. In patients who have had a myocardial infarction and also have hypercholesterolemia, Niacin is used to reduce the risk of another nonfatal myocardial infarction. Niacin is also used as adjunctive therapy in adult patients with very high serum triglyceride levels (Type IV and V hyperlipidemia). These are patients who are at risk of pancreatitis and who have not responded adequately to a determined dietary effort to control the levels. Before starting Niacin, the doctor should exclude secondary causes of hypercholesterolemia (for example poorly controlled diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, nephrotic syndrome, dysproteinemias, obstructive liver disease, other drug therapy, alcoholism). A lipid profile should also be obtained to measure TC, HDL-C and TG.