LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Niaspan
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Niaspan is in the FDA pregnancy category C when used in doses greater than those found in vitamin supplements and multiple vitamins. This means that it is not known whether large doses of nicotinic acid will harm an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.
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To make a conclusion it is worthy to say that Niaspan additional advantage is its effect on bad cholesterol and triglycerides, which levels are reduced along with the increase in good cholesterol amounts. Moreover, Niaspan is said to be effective in lowering the risk of the second heart attack in people who have already suffered one heart attack. This drug can slow down or even reverse the progression of the disease... it is one of the mighty option for protecting human health against the development of cardiovascular diseases.
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Niaspan Controlled-Release Tablets may cause dizziness; alcohol, hot weather, exercise, or fever may increase this effect. To prevent it, sit up or stand slowly, especially in the morning. Sit or lie down at the first sign of this effect.
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Initial sales of Niaspan progressed slowly for several reasons. Competition from a plethora of new cholesterol modulating products hindered sales. Pfizer introduced a cholesterol-reducing product, Lipitor, five months before Kos introduced Niaspan. Pfizer, as well as other large pharmaceutical companies with similar products, had the advantage of a large sales force and an established presence. In addition, Kos did not advertise or market the product prior to FDA approval and did not advertise directly to consumers. Kos reported revenues of $2.8 million in 1997, and a net loss of $40.6 million.
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Niaspan is contraindicated in patients with allergies to any of its ingredients, active peptic ulcer disease, significant or unexplained persistent liver dysfunction, or arterial bleeding. Niaspan should not be substituted for equivalent doses of immediate-release niacin. Niaspan should be prescribed with caution in patients who consume substantial amounts of alcohol and/or have a past history of liver disease. Liver function tests should be performed on all patients during therapy with Niaspan. Use of Niaspan with other lipid-altering medications called statins may increase the risk of rhabdomyolysis, a rare condition that causes muscles to breakdown. The most common side effect with Niaspan is flushing of the skin.
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The sNDA for Niaspan is based on results from the landmark Coronary Drug Project, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, long term secondary prevention study. This morbidity/mortality study, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, showed that people taking niacin had significantly fewer strokes and TIAs compared with patients taking the placebo. The study involved 1,119 patients randomized to niacin and 2,789 to a placebo, who were then followed for a period of 5 to 8.5 years. The data show that the risk of stroke or TIA was reduced by 21% to 26% in the niacin group compared with placebo, during the follow-up time period. For example, among all patients followed through the end of the study, 11.2% in the placebo group had suffered a stroke or TIA compared with 8.5% receiving niacin (p<0.05).
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Niaspan