ASPIRIN AND NICOTINIC ACID AS TWO FACES OF SAME COIN IN THE TREATMENT OF DYSLIPIDEMIA

Abstract

Globally cardiovascular diseases are believed to be the no.1 cause of death. According to the current estimates of World Health Organisation, approximately one-third of all deaths (16.7 million people) around the globe resulted from cardiovascular diseases. Eighty percent of these deaths were reported from low and middle income countries. The main intention of writing this review article is that, India being the second most highly populated country characterized by a majority of low and middle income population, the need for an effective treatment for this devastating disease both cost and efficacy wise is most desired. Since a long time, antidislipidemic agent nicotinic acid has been continuously under consideration to tackle the cardiovascular diseases by treating dyslipidemia. But its use has been limited due to its notorious yet harmless side effect of flushing. Now the focus of attention would be to use nicotinic acid by cleverly handling the flush. At this adjuncture the entry of acetyl salicylic acid (Aspirin) has been taken to give the best result. No doubt the major intention to take aspirin (low dose) with the combination of major drug nicotinic acid is to reduce nicotinic acid -induced flushing, but its associated properties or remedies as you may tell are more equally supportive to the very treatment of cardiovascular diseases itself. Hence it may be construed that aspirin and nicotinic acid are nothing but the two sides of the same coin in the treatment of dyslipidemia. Hence the hypothesis “People with heart disease should be on aspirin anyway”.