Advicor combines niacin and lovastatin, and is commonly used for the treatment of high cholesterol and high triglycerides. The drug works by controlling the rate of cholesterol production in the body and decreasing the release of triglycerides. Regular use of Advicor can result in a decrease of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, and an increase of HDL cholesterol. Side effects include flushing, infection, or weakness.
Advicor
® is a prescription medication used for treating
high cholesterol and
high triglycerides. It is a combination of two medicines --
niacin and
lovastatin, which is part of a class of drugs called HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (more commonly known as a statin).
Advicor is manufactured by Abbott Laboratories.
Advicor has been licensed for several uses, including:
- Treatment of high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia)
- Treatment of high triglycerides in the blood (triglycerides are the main storage form of fat in the body).
Advicor is a combination of extended-release niacin and lovastatin.
Lovastatin is part of a class of drugs called statins. It works by blocking a particular enzyme (HMG-CoA reductase) that controls the rate of cholesterol production in the body. This causes the liver to make less cholesterol. It also increases the liver's ability to collect and get rid of
LDL cholesterol.
Niacin, or nicotinic acid, is also used as a cholesterol-lowering medicine. How niacin works is not completely understood. It is thought to somehow decrease the release of triglycerides into the blood. It is also thought to decrease the amount of cholesterol made by the liver.
Because of the effects of lovastatin and niacin, Advicor can help decrease the following forms of cholesterol and fats:
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