Health Center - Heart Health
Small lifestyle changes can go a long way in preventing heart disease and stroke, so learn more and start protecting yourself today. If you're living with heart disease, read up on management strategies, from who should be part of your medical team to treatment options to consider.
Niacin-Statin Combo May Cause Side Effects for Heart Patients
Study found that about one-quarter of participants dropped the vitamin due to adverse effects
TUESDAY, Feb. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Combining the vitamin niacin with a cholesterol-lowering statin drug appears to raise side effects in heart patients, a new study indicates.
Muscle, skin and gastrointestinal problems were among the side effects that caused one-quarter of patients to stop treatment in a study looking at whether the use of niacin in combination with a statin might reduce heart disease risk.
Niacin has long been used to boost levels of "good" HDL cholesterol and decrease levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (fats) in the blood in people at risk for heart disease and stroke. However, niacin also causes a number of side effects, including flushing of the skin. A drug called laropiprant can reduce the incidence of flushing in people taking niacin.
