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Niacin Drug Interactions
If alcoholic beverages or certain medications are combined with niacin, drug interactions could occur. Some interactions may increase your risk of side effects (such as flushing), while others can cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. Medications that may lead to potentially negative niacin interactions include beta blockers, bile acid sequestrants, nitrates, and diabetes medicines.
Niacin (brand names include Niacor®, Niaspan®, Slo-Niacin®, and several others) can potentially interact with a number of other medications. Some of the medicines that may lead to niacin drug interactions include:
- Alcohol
- Alpha blockers, including:
- Alfuzosin (Uroxatral®)
- Carvedilol (Coreg®)
- Doxazosin (Cardura®)
- Labetalol (Trandate®)
- Phenoxybenzamine (Dibenzyline®)
- Phentolamine (Regitine®)
- Prazosin (Minipress®)
- Tamsulosin (Flomax®)
- Terazosin (Hytrin®)
- Aspirin
- Beta blockers, such as:
- Atenolol (Tenormin®)
- Bisoprolol (Zebeta®)
- Metoprolol (Lopressor®, Toprol XL®)
- Nadolol (Corgard®)
- Propranolol (Inderal®)
- Sotalol (Betapace®)
- Timolol (Blocadren®)
- Carvedilol (Coreg®)
- Labetalol (Trandate®)
- Bile-acid sequestrant cholesterol medications, including:
- Cholestyramine (Prevalite®, Questran®, Questran® Light)
- Colesevelam (WelChol®)
- Colestipol (Colestid®)
- Calcium channel blockers, such as:
- Amlodipine (Norvasc®)
- Diltiazem (Cardizem®, Cardizem CD®, Cardizem LA®, Cartia XT®, Dilacor XR®, Dilt-CD®, Diltia XT®, Dilt-XR®, Taztia XT®, Tiazac®)
- Felodipine (Plendil®)
- Isradipine (Dynacirc®, Dynacirc CR®)
- Nisoldipine (Sular®)
- Nicardipine (Cardene®, Cardene SR®)
- Nifedipine (Adalat CC®, Afeditab CR®, Nifediac CC®, Nifedical XL®, Procardia®, Procardia XL®)
- Nimodipine (Nimotop®)
- Verapamil (Calan®, Calan SR®, Covera-HS®, Isoptin SR®, Verelan®, Verelan PM®)
- Diabetes medications
- Gout medications, such as:
- Allopurinol (Zyloprim®)
- Probenecid
- Nitrates, such as:
- Isosorbide dinitrate (BiDil®, Dilatrate® SR, Isochron™, Isordil®)
- Isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur®, Ismo®, Monoket®)
- Nitroglycerin tablets or capsules (Nitrostat®, Nitro-Time®)
- Nitroglycerin ointment (Nitro-Bid®)
- Nitroglycerin anal ointment (Rectiv™)
- Nitroglycerin patches (Minitran®, Nitro-Dur®)
- Nitroglycerin spray (Nitrolingual®, NitroMist®)
- Statin medications, such as:
- Atorvastatin (Lipitor®) or combination medications that contain atorvastatin (Caduet®)
- Fluvastatin (Lescol®, Lescol® XL)
- Lovastatin (Altoprev®, Mevacor®) or combination medications that contain lovastatin (Advicor®)
- Pitavastatin (Livalo®)
- Pravastatin (Pravachol®)
- Rosuvastatin (Crestor®)
- Simvastatin (Zocor®) or combination medications that contain simvastatin (Juvisync®, Simcor®, Vytorin®)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD