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The prevalence of side effects with regular and sustained-release nicotinic acid
L W Gibbons1, V Gonzalez, N Gordon
1Cooper Clinic, Dallas, Texas 75230, USA.
Purpose:
To document the prevalence and nature of the side effects that occur with the use of regular and sustained-release nicotinic acid in everyday clinical practice.
Patients And Methods:
One hundred and ten patients seen in a private medical clinic who were given 133 separate trials of nicotinic acid during a 5-year period. The occurrence of side effects, particularly those severe enough to warrant discontinuing the drug, were carefully monitored.
Results:
Forty-three percent of individuals given regular nicotinic acid and 42% of those given sustained-release nicotinic acid were forced to discontinue the medication because of side effects; some of these side effects necessitating discontinuing nicotinic acid did not occur until the patient had been taking the drug for 1 or 2 years.
Conclusion:
Nicotinic acid in both regular and sustained-release forms is a powerful drug when used in doses needed to treat lipid disorders and causes disturbing side effects a very high percentage of the time. No one should use nicotinic acid in these doses without continued careful supervision of a physician.