תקציר
Acipimox as a Secondary Hypolipidemia in Combined Hypertriglyceridemia and Hyperlipidemia
D. Yeshurun, H. Hamood, N. Morad, J. Naschitz
Hyperlipidemia Clinic, Dept. of Medicine A, Bnai-Zion Medical Center, and Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa
32 patients with hypertriglyceridemia, excessive hypertri- glyceridemia, and combined hyperlipidemia, were treated with the nicotinic acid derivative acipimox (Olbetam). First line treatment with bezafibrate, or statins in some with combined hyperlipidemia, had failed. In 10 acipimox was discontinued due to side effects or absence of clinical response. The other 22 completed 6 months of treatment with no side effects.
Acipimox caused a significant 54% decrease in triglyceride levels, a 23% decrease in total cholesterol, and a 12% increase in HDL-cholesterol. LDL-cholesterol was difficult to calculate because of the high triglyceride levels, so no results are presented.
Although acipimox was much better tolerated than nicotinic acid, it also had side effects, but fewer. Acipimox can therefor be used as a second-line drug, mainly in those with combined hyperlipidemia and hypertriglyceridemia.