Why did a promising heart drug fail?

news@nature.com ^ | 6 December 2006 | Helen Pearson

[spanalot]

what spiraling heart disease? it is way down since the 60's

[kinoxi]

At least they are heeding the trial's failures and ending it (torcetrapib).

[Brad’s Gramma]

No kidding they should be stopping this! We just found out that the study Gramps was in....involved this very drug.

He has an appointment next week to find out if he has any health problems due to this.

Rains. Pours.

[kinoxi]

Best wishes concerning his appointment.

[operation clinton cleanup]

One approved drug, called niacin, is known to both raise HDL and reduce cardiovascular risk but also causes an unpleasant sensation of heat and tingling. Researchers are exploring whether they can bypass this side effect and whether niacin can lower disease risk more than statins alone.

I thought Niacin was a vitamin, not a drug.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Thanks....we're sorta kinda hoping and praying he was on the placebo ourselves...

[kinoxi]

I've heard sporadic references to companies trying to (and succeeding) patent DNA, so why not vitamins?

[Brad’s Gramma]

http://blogs.nature.com/news/blog/2006/12/why_did_a_promising_heart_drug.html


All you ever needed to know about niacin and then some.

Maybe. :)

It's a link off of the above link provided by the poster of this thread.

[Revolting cat!]

Best wishes.

By the way, you're a Gramma and your Gramps is still kicking? Wow! Are you Filipino? (I've known a Filipino of 36 who was a gramma and her own gramma was still around (she told me: "Eh, no big deal!")

[hosepipe]

[ I thought Niacin was a vitamin, not a drug. ]

Shuuush.. Don't make "them" mad or they will make food a drug and we will need a script to get any..

[Brad’s Gramma]

Me=Grammie.
Husband=Gramps.

Silly goose.

HOWEVER! My father, who is 85...one of HIS AUNTS is still alive and well, thank you very much! ;)

[Balding_Eagle]

How did they rope him in to that?

Didn't they tell him that ANY drug trial, by it's very nature is outside the normal parameters?

[Brad’s Gramma]

I honestly can't answer that because I don't know...

[operation clinton cleanup]

Thanks! I think I will stock up on Vitamin B-3 (Niacin) before it is declared a drug.

[neverdem]

I thought Niacin was a vitamin, not a drug.

When it's used in physiologic doses, it's a vitamin. But when you use it in pharmacologic doses, it's working as a drug.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Could you either type that in English or very slowly for the mentally challenged?

:)

WHAT did you just say??????

[Sloth]

If this is really the problem:

One hint lies in evidence from earlier trials that it slightly raises blood pressure in some patients. It was thought that this mild problem would be offset by the heart benefits of the drug. But it is possible that it actually proved fatal in some patients who already suffered high blood pressure.

...then hopefully the effects would go away pretty soon after getting off the drug.

[Hildy]

I always wondered why they didn't do this earlier. I have an unusual situation where my cholesteral is REALLY high...like 240. But my good cholesterol is SO HIGH that it negates the bad cholesterol. Doctors are always surprised by how high the good is...it's hereditary. My Mom had it too. One of the few good health things I got from my Mom!

[Hildy]

I always wondered why they didn't do this earlier. I have an unusual situation where my cholesteral is REALLY high...like 240. But my good cholesterol is SO HIGH that it negates the bad cholesterol. Doctors are always surprised by how high the good is...it's hereditary. My Mom had it too. One of the few good health things I got from my Mom!