Niaspan

To reduce the chance of side effects, Niaspan therapy is usually started at a low dosage and gradually increased. If you stop taking Niaspan for an extended period, contact your doctor. You'll probably need to build up to your old dose over a period of several months.

Tell your doctor if you experience any dizziness while taking Niaspan.

Possible food and drug interactions when taking Niaspan

There have been occasional cases of muscle damage when Niaspan is combined with a "statin" drug such as Lescol, Lipitor, Mevacor, Pravachol, or Zocor. Tell your doctor if you experience any muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness, especially when starting either Niaspan or one of these drugs, or when increasing the dosage.

The cholesterol-lowering drugs known as bile acid sequestrants can cancel Niaspan's effect when taken at the same time. Try to space doses of the two types of drug at least 4 to 6 hours apart.

Multivitamins containing large doses of niacin and related compounds increase the chance of side effects from Niaspan. Tell your doctor about any nutritional supplements you may be taking.

Combining Niaspan with certain blood pressure medications can lead to excessively low blood pressure. Make sure the doctor is aware of any blood pressure drugs that you're taking.

Niaspan has not been tested in children under 21 years of age.

Special information if you are pregnant or breastfeeding

The high doses of niacin needed to lower cholesterol and triglycerides have not been proven safe in pregnancy. If you are taking Niaspan to lower cholesterol, you should discontinue the drug while pregnant. If you need it to control triglyceride levels, your doctor will weigh the benefits of treatment against the potential risk to the baby.

Niacin appears in breast milk and high doses could cause side effects in the nursing infant. You'll need to choose between breastfeeding your baby or continuing Niaspan therapy.

Recommended dosage

ADULTS

The usual starting dose is one 500-milligram tablet taken at bedtime after a low-fat snack. Every 4 weeks, your doctor may increase your dosage by 500 milligrams, up to a maximum dosage of 2,000 milligrams taken once a day, depending on your response to the drug. Women generally respond to lower doses than men do.

Overdosage

Excessive doses of niacin--more than 2,000 milligrams a day--taken for a long period of time can damage the liver or cause a stomach ulcer to flare up. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, faintness, and yellowish skin and eyes can be warning signs of long-term overdose. If you develop any of these symptoms, check with your doctor without delay.