nicotinic acid prolonged release

Nicotinic acid prolonged release (brand name: Niaspan) is an extended-release formulation of nicotinic acid (niacin, vitamin B3) used to treat dyslipidemia, including in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. It acts as an agonist on the niacin receptor (GPR109A/HM74A) in adipose tissue, which inhibits lipolysis, thereby reducing the release of free fatty acids to the liver. This leads to decreased hepatic synthesis and secretion of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) and subsequently lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides, while simultaneously raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Developed by Kos Pharmaceuticals (later acquired by Abbott Laboratories and subsequently spun off to AbbVie), nicotinic acid prolonged release has been studied extensively both as a monotherapy and in combination with statins like rosuvastatin to reduce cardiovascular risk and improve lipoprotein kinetics.

Brand names

Niaspan

Other names

niacin prolonged releaseextended-release niacinniacin ERnicotinic acid ERnicotinic acid extended releaseprolonged-release nicotinic acidprolonged-release niacinextended-release nicotinic acid