American Heart Month 2014: Committing to a Year of Heart Health

MAPLE GROVE, Minn., March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- February has passed and with its close comes the end of American Heart Month. But the end of the month should not be the end of proactively supporting heart health. According to the American Heart Association, an estimated 83.6 million American adults have one or more types of Cardiovascular Disease and 98.9 million Americans age 20 and over have high cholesterol levels.¹ Leading Cardiologist, Dr. Carl Lavie, Medical Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention at the John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute, New Orleans, LA, urges Americans to take their cardiovascular health to heart by committing to a year of focusing on maintaining good cholesterol (HDL) within the normal range.

"There are many factors that can influence heart health, including genetics and lifestyle habits, such as obesity or poor diet," said Dr. Lavie. "In addition to smart eating and regular exercise, I often recommend a dietary supplement niacin containing nicotinic acid to help maintain good cholesterol within the normal range. Niacin, a naturally occurring B vitamin, has been used since the 1950s to support healthy HDL, or good cholesterol. While 'flush-free' dietary supplement niacins may sound appealing, always read the supplement label and only purchase a dietary supplement niacin containing nicotinic acid, the only form of dietary supplement niacin clinically proven to support healthy good cholesterol."      

About Niacin and Good Cholesterol (HDL)
Niacin is a type of B vitamin that occurs naturally and aids in the function of the digestive system, skin and nervous system and can help maintain good cholesterol within the normal range.  Niacin, or nicotinic acid, has been used since the 1950s to support healthy good cholesterol, also known as HDL.  High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is known as good cholesterol because it is thought to help move cholesterol out of the arteries and into the liver so the body can get rid of it.  A normal level of HDL cholesterol in your blood is higher than 40 mg/dL for men and higher than 50 mg/dL for women. Niacin flushing, the temporary vasodilation or widening of blood vessels in the skin may occur with the use of nicotinic acid.

About Slo-Niacin® Dietary Supplement Tablets
Slo-Niacin® Tablets utilize a distinctive polygel® controlled-release system that gradually delivers nicotinic acid into the body and is designed to reduce the likelihood of flushing commonly associated with immediate-release niacin use. At approximately $16 for one hundred 500 mg tablets, Slo-Niacin® Tablets are an affordable option to help support a healthy heart.* To support individual heart health needs, Slo-Niacin® Tablets are available in three strengths (250 mg, 500 mg, and 750 mg).

About Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.
Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc., founded in 1919, is a growing, fully integrated pharmaceutical company dedicated to its mission of Advancing Pharmacotherapy. Improving Life™. For more information, visit www.upsher-smith.com.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Dr. Lavie consults on behalf of Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.

Citations:

1. Total cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher

Sources:
Data on File. Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.; 2014.
Slo-Niacin product information. http://www.slo-niacin.com/about-slo-niacin/directions-for-use. Upsher-Smith Laboratories, 2013. Accessed January 30, 2014.
Mayo Clinic Web site. http://mayoclinic.com. Accessed January 30, 2014.
Harvard Health Lett. 2007;July:7. http://www.health.harvard.edu. Accessed January 30, 2014.
American Heart Association http://www.heart.org. Accessed on January 30, 2014.

SOURCE Upsher-Smith Laboratories, Inc.