Nicotinic acid, alone and in combinations, for reduction of cardiovascular risk

The current guidelines for the treatment of high risk lipid disorders do not specify a therapeutic target level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol for cardiovascular disease prevention in high-risk populations. However, as described in this report, there is a substantial body of evidence from basic science and epidemiologic studies and from clinical trials providing the strong, consistent message that raising HDL cholesterol by therapeutic means will effectively reduce cardiovascular risk independently of reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. Therapeutic HDL cholesterol raising, most effectively achieved by nicotinic acid (niacin), appears to be at least as effective as comparable percentages of LDL cholesterol lowering for the reduction of atherosclerosis progression or clinical cardiovascular events, over a broad range of risk levels. The widespread adoption of this strategy awaits the results of large, ongoing controlled clinical trials of HDL cholesterol raising.