Niaspan Drug Interactions

Niaspan can potentially interact with drugs used to treat diabetes; medications for treating treat high blood pressure, chest pain, or heart failure; and other cholesterol medicines, such as rosuvastatin, colesevelam, and colestipol. Niaspan drug interactions can change the way your body metabolizes the drugs, contribute to liver damage, and increase the flushing caused by Niaspan. Be sure to talk with your pharmacist or healthcare provider about any drug interactions with Niaspan that may apply to you.

Niaspan Drug Interactions: An Introduction

 Niaspan (niacin extended-release) has the potential to interact with a number of other medications. Some of these Niaspan drug interactions include:
 
  • HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), including:
  • Bile acid sequestrants (resins), including:
o Cholestyramine (Prevalite®, Questran®, Questran® Light, LoCholest®)
o Peripheral vasodilators (epoprostenol -- Flolan®)
o Nitrates (nitroglycerin -- Nitroquick®, isosorbide -- Imdur®).
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors (Statins)
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).
(Niaspan Drug Interactions Continued: Page 2)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
Other Articles in This eMedTV Presentation
Referring Pages Articles