ABSTRACT
Background: well recognized and explained risks factors for development of atherosclerosis include hypertension, old age, sedentary life style, smoking and high serum lipid levels
Objective: to determine the effects of niacin on blood pressure, body weight, low density lipoprotein [LDL] and high density lipoprotein [HDL]
Patients and Methods: this single blind placebo controlled experimental study was conducted at Jinnah Hospital, Karachi, from June 2009 to December 2009. Forty hyperlipidemic patients of both sexes were included in the research study, among which 20 patients were on placebo as control group, and 20 were on tablet niacin, 2.25 grams daily, in divided doses for the period of three months. Patients with diabetes mellitus, peptic ulcer, renal disease, hepatic disease, hypothyroidism and alcoholism were excluded from the study. Body weight and blood pressure of patients were recorded at fortnightly visit. LDL was calculated by Friedwald formula [LDL= TC- [TG/5 + HDL-C]. Serum HDL was determined by direct method. Serum cholesterol and triglycerides were estimated by the enzymatic calorimetric method. Data regarding results were expressed as the mean +/- SD and "t" test was applied to determine statistical significance of results. A probability value of <0.05 was taken as significant. Three patients were dropped from the study due to side effects of niacin
Results: in three months of treatment with 2.25 grams of niacin, HDL increased from 36.41+/-1.96 to 43.70+/-1.81 mg/dl, which was highly significant change when analyzed statistically. Niacin decreased LDL from 182.58+/-8.74 mg/dl to 119.29+/-4.08 mg/dl, which was highly significant [p<0.00] statistically. Overall, percentage change from day-0 to day-90 was 34.66. Triglycerides reduced from 169.64+/-7.60 to 137.35+/-6.31 mg/dl, which was highly significant [p<0.001] reduction in three months. Niacin has also reduced blood pressure, the difference between mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure at day-0 and day-90 were found highly significant [p<0.001]. Body weight was reduced from 66.29+/-1.94 kg to 64.79+/-1.82 kg in three months. This change was significant [p<0.01]
Conclusion: we concluded from the research study that niacin decreases blood pressure, body weight and LDL-Cholesterol and increases HDL-cholesterol in primary hyperlipidemic patients