Originally Posted by bakhurts
Guys, Guys, Guys,
Today Niacin in it's various forms is a safe and effective way to raise HDL. It
is not a great drug, and there are a couple of (hopefully) better ones on the way in 4-6 years.
Al.canoe, you don't need niacin if your HDL is 50 and the LDL is controlled. Your doc made a good choice.
SSP. Great work. Actually, some statins, such as Crestor do raise HDL, but not as effectively as Niacin. Also, Niaspan is probably as safe as crystalline Niacin.
xccelr8 and Koffee brown. Talk to your docs. HDL and LDL are independant risk factors for coronary artery disease. Taking high dose anti-lipid drugs leads to a one in a million chance of dying from a side effect every 200 days. That is the same risk as riding a motorcycle for 2 minutes or living for 5 minutes when over 65.
good luck.
bakhurts
Thanks for all of your input.
FYI, I weigh 170lbs, never have been over weight, do not smoke and very occasionally drink alcohol (i.e. a beer or two a month). I have also heard about the potential side effects of anti-lipid drugs such as statins. I have never considered taking a statin and felt that Niaspan was a relatively safe alternative (I have lipid and liver enzyme panel every six months).