Open AccessRandomized Comparative Study of the Effects of Treatment with Once‐Daily, Niacin Extended‐Release/Lovastatin and with Simvastatin on Lipid Profile and Fibrinolytic Parameters in Taiwan
Author(s) -
Lin TsungHsien,
Voon WenChol,
Yen HsuehWei,
Huang ChihHsin,
Su HoMing,
Lai WenTer,
Sheu ShengHsiung
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the kaohsiung journal of medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.439
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 2410-8650
pISSN - 1607-551X
DOI - 10.1016/s1607-551x(09)70309-2
Subject(s) - niacin , lovastatin , medicine , simvastatin , statin , pharmacology , placebo , hyperlipidemia , cholesterol , fibrinogen , gastroenterology , endocrinology , alternative medicine , pathology , diabetes mellitus
Hyperlipidemia can be effectively treated either with niacin or HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitor (statin), or a combination of both. Few reports showed the effects of the combination regimen with niacin and statin on hemostatic functions. We conducted a single‐center, double‐blind, double‐dummy, randomized, two‐arm study to assess the effects of the niacin extended‐release/lovastatin therapy in a fixed‐dose formulation and of simvastatin on lipid lowering and two fibrinolytic parameters, fibrinogen and d ‐dimer. All patients were enrolled according to NCEP‐ATP III guidelines and underwent a placebo run‐in period of 4 weeks before being randomized to either niacin extended‐release/lovastatin tablets (500/20 mg) once daily ( n = 36) or simvastatin capsule (20 mg) once daily ( n = 34). After 16 weeks of treatment, both groups of patients showed significantly reduced low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol (LDL‐C, p < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively, p = 0.159 between the groups; TC, p < 0.001 and < 0.001, respectively, p = 0.018 between the groups). Both drugs were well tolerated. Only in the group treated with niacin extended‐release/lovastatin was fibrinogen concentration significantly reduced after treatment (2.48 ± 0.65 to 1.99 ± 0.62 g/L, p = 0.008). No difference was found with d ‐dimer in either group. This study shows that both niacin extended‐release/ lovastatin and simvastatin are effective and well‐tolerated lipid‐lowering drugs in Taiwanese patients with dyslipidemia. A combinational treatment with niacin extended‐release/lovastatin may provide additional benefit in fibrinolysis.