Uses of Niacin

• In daily doses of between 500 mg and 2000 mg---far higher than the 20 mg daily value recommended by federal health experts---niacin, by itself and with other medications, has U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved indications for lowering the amounts of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B in people's blood streams. Combined with medications classified as bile acid sequestrants (e.g., cholestyramine), niacin is also indicated for slowing and reversing coronary artery disease.
  
  

Coronary Artery Disease

• A diagnosis of coronary artery disease means the person has some degree of blockage of the arteries that carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart. Those blockages, or artheroscleroses, form from cholesterol, triglycerides and other lipids targeted by prescription-strength niacin and bile acid sequestrants.
  
  

Uses of Procardia

• The FDA has approved Procardia for reducing chronic and intermittent angina attacks. Procardia works by dilating blood vessels.
  
  

Angina

• Coronary artery disease causes most cases of angina, which is marked by pain and crushing sensation in the chest, shortness of breath, lack of energy and sweating.
  
  

Specific Precaution

• The prescribing information for niacin notes that health care providers must use caution when prescribing the medication for individuals who have unstable angina. Niacin often causes flushing by dilating blood vessels, so giving to someone whose arteries have sharply contracted can low blood pressure to much.
  
  

Niacin Side Effects

• In addition to flushing, patients taking prescription-strength niacin have most often reported nausea, diarrhea and cough. Rarely, patients taking niacin have suffered liver and muscle damage.
  
  

Procardia Side Effects

• Procardia can rapidly and dramatically lower blood pressure and produce, and people who stop taking Procardia abruptly can experienced worsened angina. Mild swelling occurs in about 10 percent of people using Procardia, and the medication can also often cause dizziness, flushing, headache, muscle weakness, nausea, heartburn, cramps, nervousness and shortness of breath and coughing.