High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Modulation and Endothelial Function
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2008-08-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
It is well known that lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (bad cholesterol) is beneficial
for decreasing heart attacks and death. More recently, focus has been on trying to raise HDL
(good) cholesterol. The purpose of the present study is to determine if the addition of a
sustained release preparation of niacin (Niaspan - a medicine to raise HDL cholesterol) to
LDL lowering with a statin type medication results in improved vascular health. The study of
the well being of one's vessel wall (endothelial function) will serve as a marker of
treatment effect in the study.
Hypotheses: Extended-release (ER) niacin will improve endothelial function measured as
brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD - 10 end-point) and as pulse volume amplitude by pulse
arterial tonometry (PAT) (20 end-point) in subjects with established atherosclerosis whose
LDL cholesterol is optimally treated with statin therapy.