Proper Use

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

Use this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of unwanted effects.

This medicine should come with a patient information insert. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

Remember that niacin will not cure your condition but it does help control it. You must continue to take it as directed if you expect to keep your cholesterol levels down.

Carefully follow the special diet your doctor gave you. This is the most important part of controlling your condition, and is necessary if the medicine is to work properly.

If this medicine upsets your stomach, it may be taken with meals or milk. If stomach upset continues, check with your doctor.

For patients taking the extended-release capsules:

  • Swallow the capsule whole. Do not crush, break, or chew it. If the capsule is too large to swallow, you may mix the contents of the capsule with jam or jelly and swallow without chewing.

For patients taking the extended-release tablets:

  • Swallow the tablet whole. If the tablet is scored, it may be broken, but not crushed or chewed, before being swallowed.
  • Niaspan® should be taken at bedtime after a low-fat snack.
  • To decrease flushing or redness of your face, take aspirin or ibuprofen (eg, Advil®, Motrin®) 30 minutes before taking Niaspan®.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol or hot drinks or eating spicy foods around the time you take Niaspan®. This helps decrease flushing of your face.
  • If you stop taking this medicine for any period of time, contact your doctor prior to restarting taking niacin.

If you are also using cholestyramine, colestipol, or colesevelam, you must take niacin 4 to 6 hours after you take these medicines.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For high cholesterol and triglycerides:
    • For oral dosage forms (extended-release capsules, oral solution, or regular tablets):
      • Adults—500 to 2000 milligrams (mg) one to three times a day.
      • Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
    • For oral dosage form (extended-release tablets):
      • Adults and children older than 16 years of age—At first, 500 milligrams (mg) per day, taken at bedtime. After 4 weeks, your doctor will increase your dose to 1000 mg per day, taken at bedtime. However, the dose is usually not more than 2000 mg per day.
      • Children 16 years of age and younger—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

Portions of this document last updated: April 01, 2024

Copyright: © Merative US L.P. 1973, 2024. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.