LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Niaspan: Gemfibrozil
built 520 days ago
Table 2 gives correlations between baseline lipoprotein-lipid levels and subsequent changes in the levels in patients taking Niaspan or gemfibrozil. The negative correlation between baseline HDL-C level and percentage change in HDL-C level with Niaspan indicates that patients with a lower baseline HDL-C level had relatively greater increases when taking Niaspan. The correlations for LDL-C changes suggest that the interactive effects of drug treatment and baseline lipid values on LDL-C level were similar for the 2 drugs. For example, with both drugs, the tendency to elevate the LDL-C level was greatest when baseline triglyceride levels were high and when baseline LDL-C and HDL-C levels were low. However, across the entire patient group, Niaspan had no effect on LDL-C level (Figure 2), while gemfibrozil increased the average LDL-C level. Finally, the correlations for change in triglyceride levels indicate that gemfibrozil decreased triglyceride levels more effectively when baseline triglyceride levels were high and the HDL-C level was low.
Source:
The study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine compared Niaspan with gemfibrozil in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial in patients with low levels of HDL cholesterol. (Gemfibrozil belongs to a class of drugs known as fibrates, which are commonly prescribed for lowering triglycerides and raising HDL cholesterol.) After 19 weeks of therapy, Niaspan increased HDL levels, on average, up to 26 percent compared with 13 percent for gemfibrozil. Additionally, Niaspan reduced lipoprotein (a) levels 20 percent, compared with no change for gemfibrozil, while reducing triglyceride levels 29 percent, compared with 40 percent with gemfibrozil.
Source:
The present study compares the increase in HDL-C level afforded by Niaspan vs gemfibrozil when these drugs are given to subjects with low HDL-C levels (1.03 mmol/L [40 mg/dL]). The results indicate that the highest dose of Niaspan (2000 mg daily) raised the HDL-C level twice as much as gemfibrozil (1200 mg daily). The effects on other lipoprotein risk factors and fibrinogen, the tolerability of the medications, and alterations of routine clinical assays were ... evaluated.
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Gemfibrozil