Niaspan®: A powerful treatment option for 'diabetic dyslipidaemia'

Low HDL-cholesterol is a common feature of the dyslipidaemia commonly encountered in patients with type 2 diabetes or the metabolic syndrome. Nicotinic acid, the most effective agent available for increasing levels of HDL-cholesterol, has been shown to improve cardiovascular outcomes in major outcome trials. These benefits are observed in patients with or without diabetes, and the magnitude of the outcome benefit was unaffected by changes in glycaemia during treatment. Niaspan® is a new prolonged-release formulation of nicotinic acid with equivalent efficacy and superior tolerability compared with the older, immediate-release formulation. Well-designed trials and retrospective analyses have shown that Niaspan, given alone or with a statin, improves HDL-cholesterol and other lipid components in patients with diabetes or the metabolic syndrome, resulting in a less atherogenic lipid profile. The changes in glycaemia during treatment with Niaspan are minimal and can be easily corrected by adjustments to antidiabetic medications. Niaspan provides a potent and practical means of correcting low HDL-cholesterol in patients with dysglycaemia.