The safety of niacin in the US Food and Drug Administration adverse event reporting database.
Of currently approved drugs, niacin is the most effective in raising high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, either as monotherapy or in combination with other agents. The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System provides 1 mechanism to evaluate the safety of niacin as it is used in common clinical practice. In this report, the authors review recent analyses of adverse events reported to the FDA demonstrating that the extended-release formulation of niacin (niacin-ER) has a significantly better safety profile compared with other niacin formulations and compares favorably with other commonly used lipid-altering drugs, including 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) and fibrates. In addition, analyses of FDA adverse event reports of the pill combining lovastatin and niacin-ER suggest that the safety of combination therapy with niacin-ER and a statin is comparable with the safety of each of the drugs alone. These analyses should encourage the use of niacin-ER in patients at high risk for cardiovascular disease, as recommended by current national guidelines for cardiovascular prevention.
Alsheikh-Ali
Alawi A
AA
Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies and Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Department of Medicine, Tufts-New England Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
Karas
Richard H
RH
D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009525:Niacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014481:United States; D014486:United States Food and Drug Administration
D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D000960:Hypolipidemic Agents; D009525:Niacin