Advicor

From Pharmacy Drug Guide

Advicor is a combination prescription drug that contains extended release niacin, or Niaspan, and the cholesterol lowering statin lovastatin, or Mevacor. Advicor is used to treat high cholesterol. It is typically used only when dietary changes and exercise have not been successful. Statins like lovastatin reduce cholesterol levels in the blood by hindering cholesterol-making substances in the body.^[1]

Like statins, niacin, is a cardiovascular agent that reduces bad LDL cholesterol as well as triglycerides. It is also an essential vitamin, and can be found over the counter in supplements. Niacin has the added benefit of being able to increase the good HDL cholesterol in the bloodstream. Higher good HDL cholesterol plays a role in removing excess bad cholesterol and maintaining good cardiovascular health.^[2]

Contents 1 Advicor Overview 2 Advicor Side Effects 3 Prescription Drugs 4 References

Advicor Overview

Adivcor is manufactured by Abbott laboratories. Niaspan had long been used to help lower bad LDL levels and improve good HDL cholesterol levels, but Advicor was one of the first prescription drugs to combine extended release Niacin with a statin drug. According to Abbott Laboratories, doctors prescribe Advicor in conjunction with with a diet that is low in saturated fats and cholesterol, to improve the cholesterol levels of people with high cholesterol when other therapies have not succeeded^[1]

A government study from May, 2011 found that the premise behind Advicor - combining high doses of niacin with statin drugs to patients that already have heart disease for cholesterol levels - does not do anything reduce or prevent prevent strokes and heart attacks. This study challenged the prevalent idea that raising "good" HDL cholesterol further reduces heart disease and stroke risks in those who have their "bad" LDL cholesterol under control.^[5] According to studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2009, niacin alone - both the over the counter forms and the prescription form Niaspan - are safer and more effective in controlling cholesterol levels than long-term statin use.^[6]

Cholesterol is a normally produced in the liver and does not usually cause problems. Sometimes, though, the body manufactures an excess of cholesterol. Statins block the functioning of the specific enzyme associated with the production of cholesterol in the liver - HMG-CoA (3-hydroxy-3-methyglutaryl COA) reductase, reducing the liver’s ability to make bad LDL.^[7]

Advicor Side Effects

Some of Advicor's more common side effects include headaches, mild dizziness, back pain, flushing constipation, headache, mild dizziness, cold symptoms such as sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, mild skin rash and indigestion.^[2]

More serious side effects of Advicor include swellling, unusual muscle tenderness or pain, weight gain, jaundice, unusual bleeding, easy brusing, extreme tiredness, dark urine, fever, loss of appetite, flu symptoms, hives, difficulty swallowing or breathing, less frequent or no urination, and pains in the upper-right part of the stomach.^[2]

Prescription Drugs

Also See: Advicor Side Effects, Niaspan Side Effects, Niacin, Niacin Side Effects, Biotin Side Effects, Biotin, Biotin Coupons, Vitamin Coupons, Vitamin B12 Coupons, Zinc Coupons, Fish Oil Coupons, Caltrate Coupons, Aspirin Coupons, DHEA Coupons, GNC Coupons

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} http://www.advicor.com/
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12873710
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} http://www.advicor.com/important-safety-information.asp
4. ↑ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a688006.html
5. ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/26/us-heart-niacin-idUSTRE74P4SN20110526
6. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/news/20091116/niacin-tops-zetia-in-cutting-artery-plaque
7. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-lower-cholesterol-risk