Clinical Study Title:
Simvastatin and niacin, antioxidant vitamins, or the combination for the prevention of coronary disease.

Plain English Summary:

In this study, patients who had been diagnosed with coronary heart disease were given one of four vitamin therapies: simvastatin with niacin, simvastatin with niacin and additional antioxidants, a regular multivitamin or a placebo. The study took place over a three year period. Patients were monitored during the study, and their coronary stenosis also evaluated. The placebo and the antioxidant vitamin along groups did not improve during this study. The participants taking the supplements with the niacin did show a marked improvement in their heart function, suggesting that vitamin B3, or niacin has a protective effect on the heart for patients with coronary heart disease.

Authors

Brown BG. Zhao XQ. Chait A. Fisher LD. Cheung MC. Morse JS. Dowdy AA. Marino EK. Bolson EL. Alaupovic P. Frohlich J. Albers JJ.

Institution

Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle 98195, USA.

Country of Publication

United States

Source

New England Journal of Medicine. 345(22):1583-92, 2001 Nov 29.