Niacin Lifts HDL, Doesn’t Cut Risk

A study drug that increased “good” cholesterol failed to protect people from heart attacks or strokes, government researchers say. The study included more than 3,400 people. Their LDL (“bad cholesterol”) was well controlled with statin drugs. But they had low HDL, sometimes called “good cholesterol.” Low HDL increased their risk of heart attack and stroke. Taking niacin can raise HDL. People in the study were randomly divided into two groups. One group took Niaspan, a high-dose form of niacin. The other group received placebo (fake) pills. Both groups kept taking a statin. Researchers tracked them for an average of 32 months. HDL rose more for the Niaspan group than for the placebo group. But they had a similar overall rate of heart attack, stroke and related problems. The stroke rate was actually higher in the Niaspan group. That difference might have been caused by chance.