title: Blood and plasma viscosity after acipimox treatment in hypertriglyceridemic patients.
abstract: Acipimox, a nicotinic acid analog, is known to reduce the plasma lipid concentration in hyperlipidemic patients. In a study to check whether the drug improved hemo-rheological parameters, 21 patients (17 M, 4 F) with asymptomatic hypertriglyceridemia were treated with acipimox (250 b.i.d.) for 30 days. Plasma lipid concentrations were measured before and after therapy, together with blood and plasma viscosity. Mean plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels decreased from 234 +/- 51 (SD) mg/dl to 202 +/- 53 mg/dl (p less than 0.01) and from 515 +/- 231 mg/dl to 298 +/- 130 mg/dl (p less than 0.01) respectively. Blood viscosity decreased (p less than 0.05 and less than 0.01) (range of reduction 6-20%) at all shear rates examined (from 2.25 s-1 to 450 s-1); plasma viscosity was significantly reduced only at lower shear rates (2.25 and 4.50 s-1). Changes in blood and plasma viscosity after acipimox treatment were not related to changes in plasma triglycerides. Acipimox seems to act beneficially on hemo-rheological parameters, independently of its hypolipidemic effect and could be usefully prescribed to patients with clinical signs of arteriosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Medicine, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Montefusco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Iannaci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gnasso
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cortese
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lamenza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Postiglione
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D011719:Pyrazines; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol; C027696:acipimox