Get Informed: Niaspan

163

Patient Comments about
Niaspan

Active Ingredient(s)

Nicotinic Acid

What does it do?

Niaspan

This product is used in the treatment of patients with high lipid levels (including cholesterol). It's exact mechanism of action is not well understood.

Last Text Update:
 2010-Mar-11 8:57 PM
Last Data Update:
 2010-Mar-11 9:06 PM

Other Names

  • Niacin
  • Niaspan
  • Niacin NO Flush
  • Niaspan ER
  • SLO-Niacin
  • Nicotinic Acid

How Safe Is It?

Your Risk Rating
Please log in
Average Risk Rating
2: General
Pregnancy Category:
C
Black Box Warning:
No

Facts & Figures

Date Approved
28 Jul 1997
Est US Patients*
1,321,000
Generic Available
Yes
OTC Available
Yes

User Age Distribution*

1

< 21

4

21-39

30

40-59

65

60+

Age (Years)

* Estimated number of US people currently taking Niaspan or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.

Other Resources

Recent alerts for Niaspan

There have been no iGuard.org alerts regarding Niaspan during the past year.

Niaspan Safety Report

2: General

The iGuard risk rating for Niaspan is blue. It means that Niaspan normally has a low risk of serious or long-term side effects if used under normal medical supervision.

Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings

  • Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Niaspan interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.

What is Niaspan used for?

iGuard is currently tracking more than 8,700 patients that use Niaspan (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.

Disease / Condition % Average Severity
High Cholesterol 82% 5
High Triglycerides 38% 5
Migraine/Headache 2% 5
Heart Disease/Stroke Prevention 2% 13
Other 3% 3

How well does Niaspan work?

iGuard regularly polls our more than 8,700 users taking Niaspan (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.

Average Satisfaction Score

(out of 10)

Average Effectiveness Score

(out of 10)

62 63
81%
of patients are confident that the good things about Niaspan outweigh the bad things.
9%
of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Niaspan.

Common Side Effects of Niaspan

iGuard regularly polls our more than 8,700 users taking Niaspan (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.

50%

50% of patients experience side-effects on Niaspan

3%

3% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Niaspan


Most Common Side Effects...

  • 45% Hot Flashes
  • 5% Itch/Rash
  • = 10%

Less than 1%: Fatigue, Grogginess/Confusion, Headache, Insomnia, Muscle Pain/Cramps, Numbness/Tingling


Global Patient Feedback for Niaspan (Nicotinic Acid) ( Post a comment )

Comments, Questions, and Answers
Show Newest | Oldest first

Question/Comment:

FOR NIASPAN ASK YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT A PROGRAM OFFERED BY DRUG MAKER SO THAT COST IS $5 A MONTH FOR ONE YEAR. YOU MUST SIGN UP AND RECEIVE AN ACTIVATED CARD.

60 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2010-03-10 09:53:59

Question/Comment:

I am taking Lipitor, 80mg, and was taking 1500mg of Niaspan. Lipitor seemed to bring my Cholesterol down but the numbers were reversed. The niaspan seemed to correct this but caused other problems. Doctor has taken me off Niaspan and is putting me on Zetia.

Will this help correct the numbers like the Niaspan did?

59 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2010-03-01 09:20:33

iGuard Answer/Reply:

Zetia will help with cholesterol but in a different way. Zetia actually blocks absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine, while Niaspan decreases production of VLDL in the liver, among other actions. Many patients do very well on Zetia, especially when combined with a medication like Lipitor. The most important factor is that your doctor is monitoring you by checking your cholesterol levels. When on medications for cholesterol, be sure to tell your doctor if you are experiencing any muscle pain or muscle weakness.

Posted: 2010-03-03 12:21:54

Question/Comment:

Due to expense involved, can an over the counter product be substituted for Niaspan & still be able to do a reasonably sufficient job of helping regulate cholesterol/triglyceride levels.

73 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2010-02-15 03:34:57

iGuard Answer/Reply:

There are some over-the-counter products that are similar to Niaspan, such as Slo-Niacin. You would need to check with your doctor to see how much he/she recommends that you take based on your cholesterol and triglyceride levels. You will probably need to take the over-the-counter products more frequently.

Posted: 2010-02-19 09:43:46

Question/Comment:

I have been taking Niaspan since April of 2008. Slowly increasing the amount to the present Jan 2010, to 2000 mg per day. I can't take ANY statins due to severe muscle/nerve pain as well as other horrible side effects. Niaspan has reduced my bad numbers substantially as well as increase my good numbers to new highs. It is working for me but since I am taking 2000 mgs I have noticed extreme dryness of the mouth, nose and eyes. I take as many mgs of Vit. C with my Niaspan to elimnate the flushing. I am a 55 year old women.

55 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2010-01-08 10:57:35

Question/Comment:

I take Niacin for idiopathic vertigo. It is what my EENT prescribed because my vertigo was so bad. It helps and I have since found out thru research that my FMS has a possible symptom of vertigo.

53 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States

Posted: 2010-01-07 12:33:27

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