Niacin, What Should People Know About This Medication? - Dr. Lyle

Dr. Lyle:
It is important to understand niacin. Niacin is a very important drug in treating cholesterol problems, particularly people with elevated triglycerides and low HDLs. As I said earlier, it is the best drug that we have to raise your HDL level.

Niacin comes in many forms. The active form that will help lower your cholesterol is called nicotinic acid. Nicotinic acid is the active form that will help raise your good cholesterol and lower your triglycerides.

Niacin is also sold in a drug form called Niacinamide. Niacinamide is a great vitamin, but it will not have any impact on your cholesterol level. It often can be sold in stores as no-flush niacin. No-flush niacin in the form of Niacinamide, it will not flush, but it will also not lower your cholesterol.

There’s also no-flush forms of nicotinic acid, which are slow release forms of niacin, which are sold over-the-counter as well. Prescription niacin is sold as NIASPAN® and one of the benefits of a prescription form of niacin is knowing exactly how much you are getting.

About Dr. Brian Lyle, M.D.:
Brian Lyle, M.D., obtained his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Boston University and graduated from the MCP Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After medical school he completed an internal medicine residency at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. and a cardiology fellowship at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Conn. where he was the chief cardiology fellow. He is board certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular medicine and nuclear medicine.

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• High Cholesterol