Pentaerythritol tetranicotinate (niceritrol) decreases plasma lipoprotein(a) levels.
We determined the most effective dosage of pentaerythritol tetranicotinate (niceritrol) to reduce plasma lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels in 44 Japanese patients (16 men and 28 women; mean age, 59.2 +/- 10.8 years) with hyperlipidemia types IIa, IIb, and IV. Patients received oral niceritrol at a dosage of 750 mg (3 tablets)/d for 8 weeks, followed by 1,500 mg (6 tablets)/d for 8 weeks. Administration of niceritrol 750 mg/d for 8 weeks decreased total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in patients with type IIa hyperlipidemia and decreased triglycerides in patients with type IV hyperlipidemia, but did not affect Lp(a). However, niceritrol 1,500 mg/d for 8 weeks decreased Lp(a) in patients with initial Lp(a) levels greater than 30 mg/dL in addition to decreasing total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides. These results suggest that the effective dosage of niceritrol to reduce the serum Lp(a) concentration in Japanese hyperlipidemic patients with a high Lp(a) level (> or = 30 mg/dL) is greater than 1,500 mg/d.
Tanaka
K
K
First Department of Internal Medicine, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, Japan.
Hayashi
K
K
Shingu
T
T
Kuga
Y
Y
Okura
Y
Y
Yasunobu
Y
Y
Ohtani
H
H
Nomura
S
S
Kurushima
H
H
Saeki
M
M
Kambe
M
M
Kajiyama
G
G
D000368:Aged; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009531:Niceritrol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D017270:Lipoprotein(a); D014280:Triglycerides; D009531:Niceritrol