HOMEPRODUCTSCOMPANYCONTACTFAQResearchDictionaryPharmaSign Up FREE or Login

Niacin in the Treatment of Hyperlipidemias in Light of New Clinical Trials: Has Niacin Lost its Place?

Abstract
Niacin is considered to be a powerful drug for the treatment of lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities connected with "residual cardiovascular risk", which persist in high-risk patients even when the target goals of LDL-C are achieved with statin therapy. Recent large randomized clinical studies - AIM-HIGH (Atherothrombosis Intervention in Metabolic Syndrome With Low HDL/High Triglycerides) and HPS2-THRIVE (Heart Protection Study 2-Treatment of HDL to Reduce the Incidence of Vascular Events) - delivered some disappointing results, leading to the conclusion that no further benefit (decreased parameters of cardiovascular risk) is achieved by adding niacin to existing statin therapy in patients with high cardiovascular risk. Moreover, in these studies, several adverse effects of the treatment were observed; therefore, niacin treatment for hypolipidemias is not recommended. In this paper, we analyze the mechanisms underlying the hypolipidemic and antiatherogenic effects of niacin as well as some limitations of the designs of the AIM HIGH and HP2-THRIVE studies. We also provide the possibilities of rational usage of niacin for specific types of dyslipidemias.
AuthorsMiroslav Zeman, Marek Vecka, František Perlík, Róbert Hromádka, Barbora Staňková, Eva Tvrzická, Aleš Žák
JournalMedical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research (Med Sci Monit) Vol. 21 Pg. 2156-62 (Jul 25 2015) ISSN: 1643-3750 [Electronic] United States
PMID26210594 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review)
Chemical References
  • Hypolipidemic Agents
  • Niacin
Topics
  • Animals
  • Cardiovascular Diseases (blood, drug therapy)
  • Humans
  • Hyperlipidemias (drug therapy)
  • Hypolipidemic Agents (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
  • Niacin (adverse effects, therapeutic use)
  • Risk Factors

Join CureHunter, for free Research Interface BASIC access!

Take advantage of free CureHunter research engine access to explore the best drug and treatment options for any disease. Find out why thousands of doctors, pharma researchers and patient activists around the world use CureHunter every day.
Realize the full power of the drug-disease research graph!


Choose Username:
Email:
Password:
Verify Password:
Enter Code Shown: