Metabolic Effects of an 8 Week Niaspan Treatment in Patients With Abdominal Obesity and Mixed Dyslipidemia

Nicotinic acid (Niacin) has been used for many years for the treatment of dyslipidemia. Indeed Niacin decreases triglycerides (TG) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) but more importantly increases high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c). Although the drug has been used for so long, its precise mechanism of action remains elusive. The aim of this study was to characterise the metabolic changes induced by 8 week treatment with Niacin in dyslipidemic, overweight patients. The importance of the inhibition of lipolysis on the overall lipid effects of niacin will be studied. In order to get a very comprehensive view of all metabolic activities of niacin, this study will investigate the potential effects of niacin on Glucose metabolism, lipid and lipoprotein turnover, quantitative changes in lipoproteins and key enzymes involved in lipid metabolism.