A comparison of acipimox and nicotinic acid in type 2b hyperlipidaemia

• Published in: British journal of clinical pharmacology Vol. 33; no. 4; pp. 451 - 453
• Main Authors: O'Kane, MJ, Trinick, TR, Tynan, MB, Trimble, ER, Nicholls, DP
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.1992; Blackwell Science
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Female; General and cellular metabolism. Vitamins; Humans; Hyperlipidemias - drug therapy; Hypolipidemic Agents - therapeutic use; Lipids - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Niacin - adverse effects; Niacin - therapeutic use; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pyrazines - adverse effects; Pyrazines - therapeutic use; Human; Toxicity; Nicotinic acid; Metabolic diseases; Lipids; Triglyceride; Pyridine derivatives; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Analog; Hyperlipemia; Comparative study; Antilipemic agent
• ISSN: 0306-5251; 1365-2125
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1992.tb04067.x

The side effect profiles and lipid lowering efficacy of nicotinic acid (1 g three times daily) and its analogue acipimox (250 mg three times daily) in type 2b hyperlipidaemia were compared in a double‐blind placebo controlled study. In the nicotinic acid group (n = 7) at 12 weeks there were significant reductions (P less than 0.05) with respect to placebo (n = 9) in total cholesterol (median and range) 6.6 mmol l‐1 (4.8‐8.4) vs 8.8 mmol l‐1 (7.5‐9.5), triglyceride 1.4 mmol l‐1 (0.5‐ 4.6) vs 2.8 mmol l‐1 (1.5‐9.5) and apoprotein B 88.6 mg dl‐1 (62.1‐114) vs 121.9 mg dl‐1 (88.0‐170.7). In contrast there was no significant alteration in lipids in the acipimox group (n = 12). Nicotinic acid was associated with a high incidence of side effects, principally cutaneous flushing, while acipimox was well tolerated by all patients.