Jump to content
VA Disability Community via Hadit.com

VA Disability Claims Articles

Ask Your VA Claims Question | Current Forum Posts Search | Rules | View All Forums
VA Disability Articles | Chats and Other Events | Donate | Blogs | New Users

  • hohomepage-banner-2024-2.png

  • 27-year-anniversary-leaderboard.png

    advice-disclaimer.jpg

  • donate-be-a-hero.png

Niacin

Rate this topic


Recommended Posts

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/na...2,1,90010.story

New drug may ease 'flushing' linked to niacin

Researchers say the medication will allow people to take the cholesterol-lowering vitamin without suffering severe reddening of the skin.

By Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer

April 2, 2008

Researchers have reported the development of a new combination drug that will allow patients to take high doses of the cholesterol-lowering vitamin niacin without a painful and embarrassing side effect known as flushing.

Niacin has been shown to be an effective agent for lowering bad cholesterol, increasing good cholesterol and reducing cardiovascular risk, but three-quarters of those who take it discontinue use within a year because of flushing, which is characterized by a severe reddening of the skin.

Nearly half of the patients taking the highest dose of the new drug, called Cordaptive, had no flushing, compared with 22% of those taking a lower dose of a time-release version of niacin alone, said Dr. Michael J. Koren of the Jacksonville Center for Clinical Research.

The improved tolerability "may prevent more patients from discontinuing therapy," Koren said of his findings, which were presented Monday at a Chicago meeting of the American College of Cardiology and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.

Dr. Mason Weiss of Centinela Hospital in Inglewood conceded that "flushing is the biggest problem" with niacin, but cautioned that "you are going to have to have a much longer track record for me to use an additional medication."

Weiss, who was not involved in the study, recommended simply reducing the dosage of standard niacin to avoid the side effect.

Dr. John Paolini of Merck & Co., which manufactures Cordaptive, countered that safety studies involving nearly 5,000 patients had shown no unusual side effects from the new drug, which is being reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration.

The flushing is caused by the niacin-triggered release of a prostaglandin, a hormone that causes dilation of blood vessels in the skin. It can be partially blocked by administering aspirin 30 minutes before taking niacin.

Cordaptive contains a newly developed drug called laropiprant, which blocks the prostaglandin more selectively.

In the new trial, funded by Merck, Koren and his colleagues studied 1,455 patients with high cholesterol.

Half received increasing doses of Cordaptive until they reached niacin consumption of 2 grams per day, the most effective dosing level.

The other half received Niaspan, an extended-release form of niacin sold by Abbott Laboratories.

All were told about the benefits of aspirin. Twice as many patients in the Niaspan group reported using aspirin in an attempt to prevent flushing.

Over the 16 weeks of the study, patients receiving Cordaptive had an average of one flushing episode per month, while those receiving Niaspan alone had one per week.

Twelve percent of those receiving Niaspan quit because of flushing, compared with 7% of those receiving Cordaptive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 14
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • HadIt.com Elder

Thank you Jack but I doubt that VA would spend the money on a new drug to remove a minor inconvenience

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would agree with you on that one Pete!

We have enough of a time getting them to give us the drugs that are needed, getting them to add one that is needed and has less side effects would be a miracle.

Just my 1 & 1/2 cents

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
My VA Doc has prescribed Niacin to help raise my good cholesterol. I am always in the low 20's and she wants me over 40 and even higher.

The side effect is sometimes I burn all over especially in ears and my arms. Anyone have a similar problem.

Hi, Pete.

My VA doc recommended I take Niacin to raise my good cholesterol. I buy the flush-free type, 500mg, from Wal-Mart. Very inexpensive. No side effects, and it does work. I also take 1000mg Fish Oil Capsules (also recommended by my VA doc...also from Wal-Mart). My good cholesterol is much improved. The Fish Oil seems to work best. For lowering the bad cholesterol, I take Simvastatin, prescribed by the VA. It has worked wonders. When I began, it was in the high 200s. Now it is at 90. Hope this helps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HadIt.com Elder

Thank you John. So far not much help but I will add fish oil and see what happens. My over all cholesterol is around 120 last time I checked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tried niacin with similar flush problems, none bad. However, Dr. stopped my Lipitor two weeks ago (after 4 yrs) because I started to develop severe muscle cramps in hands and upper-lower legs. Especially the hands. I have had multiple blood tests trying to find cause of abnormalities in blood chemistry. Any other vets had similar problems with Lipitor for cholesterol?? In the mean time I may try the niacin combined with the Omega 3 fish oils until the good Dr. recommends something better for cholesterol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use