Niaspan Drug Interactions

The use of Niaspan with a statin medication has been associated with some cases of a rare condition known as rhabdomyolysis (severe breakdown of muscle). If you are taking both of these medications, your healthcare provider may choose to monitor your progress more carefully, especially at the beginning of therapy and after increasing your dose (see Niaspan and Muscle Pain).

 

Bile acid sequestrants can bind to Niaspan in the digestive tract and decrease its absorption into the body. To avoid this drug interaction, Niaspan should be taken at least one hour before or four to six hours after a bile acid sequestrant has been given.

 

Niaspan may increase the anticoagulant effect of warfarin. This means that you may be at an increased risk of bleeding if you are taking both Niaspan and warfarin. Your healthcare provider may choose to monitor your INR and prothrombin time more frequently and make any necessary dosing adjustments. INR and prothrombin time measure how well your blood is clotting.

 

Consuming alcohol or hot beverages while taking Niaspan can increase the flushing caused by Niaspan. Therefore, it is recommended that you avoid these beverages around the time you take your Niaspan. Alcohol and Niaspan can also both be damaging to the liver, so it is best to avoid consuming large amounts of alcohol at any time during your treatment with Niaspan.