1. Cholesterol Levels Slideshow Pictures
2. Lower Cholesterol Slideshow: Avoid Heart Disease
3. Take the Cholesterol Quiz

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Be sure to take the missed dose with food if you normally take your niacin dose with a meal or snack.

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include nausea, dizziness, itching, vomiting, upset stomach, and flushing.

What should I avoid while taking niacin ?

Avoid drinking hot beverages shortly after taking niacin. Hot drinks can worsen niacin's flushing effect (warmth, itching, redness, or tingly feeling under your skin).

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking niacin. Alcohol may increase your risk of liver damage, and can also worsen the flushing effects of niacin.

Avoid taking colestipol (Colestid) or cholestyramine (Locholest, Prevalite, Questran) at the same time you take niacin. If you take either of these other medications, take them at least 4 to 6 hours before or after you take niacin.

Avoid getting up too fast from a sitting or lying position, or you may feel dizzy. Get up slowly and steady yourself to prevent a fall.

What other drugs will affect niacin ?

Tell your doctor about all other cholesterol-lowering drugs you are taking with niacin, especially atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), or simvastatin (Zocor).

Before taking niacin, tell your doctor if you are also using any of the following drugs:

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
• multivitamins or mineral supplements that contain niacin;
• blood pressure or heart medications such as amlodipine (Norvasc), diltiazem (Tiazac, Cartia, Cardizem), felodipine (Plendil), nicardipine (Cardene), nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), nimodipine (Nimotop), nisoldipine (Sular), or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan); or
• heart medications such as doxazosin (Cardura), isosorbide (Dilatrate, Imdur, Isordil, Monoket, Sorbitrate), nitroglycerin (Nitro-Bid, Nitro-Dur, Nitrostat), prazosin (Minipress), or terazosin (Hytrin).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with niacin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about niacin.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

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