Niacin in the prevention of atherosclerosis: Significance of vasodilatation.
There is a rising interest towards the old drug, nicotinic acid (niacin, vitamin B(3)), because at pharmacological concentrations it has a beneficial effect on HDL cholesterol. Its use, however, was limited due to its adverse effect, flushing. When the mechanism of flushing was solved, a combination of niacin and DP1 receptor antagonist or prostaglandin inhibitor is used, there has been a comeback of niacin with extensive clinical trials. This paper argues that the new strategy with niacin for the prevention of atherosclerosis should be re-evaluated, because vasodilatation of the peripheral vessels might be crucially important in the early primary prevention according to our "vasa vasorum hypoxia" hypothesis.
Tuohimaa
P
P
Medical School, University of Tampere and Department of Clinical Chemistry, Tampere University Hospital, 33014 Tampere, Finland. pentti.tuohimaa@uta.fi
Järvilehto
M
M
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015687:Cell Hypoxia / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009525:Niacin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014651:Vasa Vasorum / Q000502:physiology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*
D009525:Niacin