[Efficacy and safety of immediate-release niacin in patients with ischemic cardiopathy. Experience of the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez"].
Primary and secondary prevention trials have demonstrated that niacin improves the lipid profile and reduces coronary morbidity and mortality.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the safety and efficacy of niacin in daily doses of 1.5 and 3.0 g in patients with ischemic heart disease and dyslipidemia.


METHODS
Sixty one male and female patients, aged 30 to 70 years were included. Thirty two patients were later excluded; 18 for adverse events and 14 for causes not related to niacin.


RESULTS
In the 29 patients that finished the study, niacin in a dose-dependent manner, significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, apoB and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio, and significantly increased HDL-Cholesterol concentrations; a decrease in lipoprotein(a) was observed with both dosages, but the change was significant only with the 3.0 g/day. In 11 patients (38%) lipids and lipoproteins reached ideal concentrations. In 15 patients (52%) C-LDL/C-HDL was lower than or equal to 3.5 at the end of the study.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that niacin is well tolerated by 62% of the patients. Niacin is a safe, effective and a low cost alternative in the treatment of patients with ischemic heart disease and dyslipidemia.
Morato Hernández
M L
ML
Departamento de Endocrinología, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez INCICH, México, D.F.
Ichazo Cerro
M S
MS
Alvarado Vega
A G
AG
Zamora González
J
J
Cardoso Saldaña
G C
GC
Posadas Romero
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004304:Dosage Forms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009525:Niacin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D004304:Dosage Forms; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D009525:Niacin