Hypercholesterolemia. Use of niacin and niacin combinations in therapy

Niacin or niacin combinations were administered in dosage of 1.0 to 6.0 gm. to 31 hypercholesterolemic patients for periods up to three years. Eighty per cent were able to continue medication for long periods without significant side effects. Jaundice, apparently due to nicotinic acid, occurred in one patient. Liver toxicity will probably be a hazard in the use of this therapy. Significant and maintained serum cholesterol depression was achieved in 80 per cent of the patients who were able to take adequate dosage. Reduction in xanthomata was observed with cholesterol reduction. In some cases, when larger doses were not tolerated or were unsuccessful, combining 1.5 gm of niacin with small doses of estrogen or triparanol achieved the desired effect. Aluminum nicotinate had no important advantage over plain niacin.