Understanding niacin formulations.

New perspectives on the use of niacin in the treatment of lipid disorders.

Therapy with niacin (nicotinic acid) is unique in that it improves all lipoprotein abnormalities. It significantly reduces low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, and lipoprotein(a) levels, while increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. This makes niacin ideal for treating a wide variety of lipid disorders, including the metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, isolated ...

Topical Formulations for the Transdermal Delivery of Niacin and Methods of Treating Hyperlipidemia

The mechanism and mitigation of niacin-induced flushing

AIMS To summarise the metabolic responses to niacin that can lead to flushing and to critically evaluate flushing mitigation research. METHODS AND RESULTS This comprehensive review of the mechanism of action of niacin-induced flushing critically evaluates research regarding flushing mitigating formulations and agents. Niacin induces flushing through dermal Langerhans cells where the activatio...

Measuring flushing symptoms with extended-release niacin using the flushing symptom questionnaire©: results from a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial

INTRODUCTION Niacin is underutilised because of flushing. Lack of a quantitative tool to assess niacin-induced flushing has precluded the objective evaluation of flushing associated with extended-release (ER) niacin formulations. We developed the Flushing Symptom Questionnaire((c)) (FSQ), a quantitative tool to assess patient-reported flushing, and assessed its ability to characterise ER niacin...

Critical appraisal of laropiprant and extended-release niacin combination in the management of mixed dyslipidemias and primary hypercholesterolemia

Niacin is a B-complex vitamin which has been used for decades for the management of mixed dyslipidemias and primary hypercholesterolemia. It decreases the risk of cardiovascular events either when used as a monotherapy or in combination with other lipid lowering medications. However, a major limitation to its use is niacin-induced flushing occurring even with the extended-release formulations. ...