Drug interactions
Insulin aspart protamine / insulin aspart + Niacin
Severity: Moderate
Insulin aspart protamine / insulin aspart and Niacin: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Niacin, especially at lipid-lowering doses, can worsen insulin resistance and raise blood glucose. This may reduce the effectiveness of insulin and raise insulin requirements.
What this interaction means in plain words
Insulin aspart protamine / insulin aspart and Niacin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Niacin impairs glucose tolerance and increases insulin resistance, opposing insulin's glucose-lowering effect.
What to do
Monitor blood glucose more frequently when starting or changing niacin dose. Adjust the insulin dose as needed.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Niacin
- Alogliptin-metformin + Niacin Moderate
- Atorvastatin + Niacin Moderate
- Canagliflozin-metformin + Niacin Moderate
- Cholestyramine + Niacin Moderate
- Colestipol + Niacin Moderate
- Dapagliflozin-metformin + Niacin Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Insulin aspart protamine / insulin aspart with Niacin?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Insulin aspart protamine / insulin aspart and Niacin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Niacin, especially at lipid-lowering doses, can worsen insulin resistance and raise blood glucose. This may reduce the effectiveness of insulin and raise insulin requirements.
How serious is the interaction between Insulin aspart protamine / insulin aspart and Niacin?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Monitor blood glucose more frequently when starting or changing niacin dose. Adjust the insulin dose as needed.
What other medicines interact with Niacin?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Niacin with, for example, Alogliptin-metformin, Atorvastatin, Canagliflozin-metformin. The full list is on the Niacin page.
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