BACKGROUND In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of niacin on high sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) and cholesterol levels in non-ST elevated acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) patients. METHODS In this prospective, open label study, 48 NSTE-ACS were randomized to niacin or control group. Patients continued their optimal medical therapy in the control group. In the niacin gro...

BACKGROUND Niacin supplementation improves dyslipidemia and lowers serum phosphorus levels in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We evaluated whether low-dose niacin supplementation can improve dyslipidemia, lower serum phosphorus levels, and be administered with a low frequency of adverse effects in patients with CKD. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of patie...

Nearly all patients with end-stage renal disease develop hyperphosphatemia. These patients typically require oral phosphate binders for life-long phosphorus management, in addition to dietary restrictions and maintenance dialysis. Recently, niacin, a traditional antilipemic agent, drew attention as an experimental treatment for hyperphosphatemia. The purpose of this article was to report on new...

Niacin (nicotinic acid) is the most potent clinically used agent for increasing plasma HDL and apolipoprotein (apo) A-I. The mechanism by which niacin increases apoA-I is not clearly understood. We have examined the effect of niacin on the hepatic production and removal of apoA-I using Hep G2 cells as an in vitro model. Incubation of Hep G2 cells with niacin resulted in increased accumulation o...

Prolonged niacin treatment elicits beneficial effects on the plasma lipid and lipoprotein profile that is associated with a protective CVD risk profile. Acute niacin treatment inhibits nonesterified fatty acid release from adipocytes and stimulates prostaglandin release from skin Langerhans cells, but the acute effects diminish upon prolonged treatment, while the beneficial effects remain. To g...

Niacin is a well established drug used to lower cholesterol and prevent cardiovascular disease events. However, niacin also causes cutaneous flushing side effects due to release of the proresolution mediator prostaglandin D2 (PGD2). Recent randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that addition of niacin with laropiprant [a PGD2 receptor subtype 1 (DP1) blocker] to statin-based therapies doe...

Although statins reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality further risk reduction is needed. In this respect low HDL-cholesterol concentrations and/or elevated triglyceride concentrations may be potential treatment targets. Niacin (nicotinic acid) is an effective drug which increases the plasma concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and decreases the concentration of lo...

Nicotinic acid (niacin) is a well-established treatment for dyslipidaemia - an important cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor. However, niacin may also reduce blood pressure (BP), which is another important CVD risk factor. This review examines the limited publicly available data on niacin's BP effects. Acute administration of immediate-release niacin may lower BP because of niacin's acute ...

The development of a reagent-impregnated paper strip test for niacin is described. The test system is based on the formation of cyanogen chloride by the reaction of chloramine-T and potassium thiocyanate in the presence of citric acid. Rupture of the pyridine ring of niacin by cyanogen chloride yields gamma-carboxy glutaconic aldehyde and coupling with a primary aromatic amine produces a yellow...

Chemotherapy often causes damage to hematopoietic tissues, leading to acute bone marrow suppression and the long term development of leukemias. Niacin deficiency, which is common in cancer patients, causes dramatic genomic instability in bone marrow cells in an in vivo rat model. From a mechanistic perspective, niacin deficiency delays excision repair and causes double strand break accumulation...