Niacin may be effective in lowering cholesterol

Q: Recently I heard a suggestion that niacin would be better and cheaper than Vytorin for lowering cholesterol.

A: In a November study in the New England Journal of Medicine, niacin was compared with ezetimibe (Zetia), one part of the combination medicine Vytorin. All 200 patients took a statin cholesterol-lowering drug, but some took prescription niacin and others Zetia in addition to the statin. Niacin worked better than Zetia for cardiovascular health.

We believe niacin should be used only under medical supervision.

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Q: I am 23, and I just learned I have herpes. Is there any treatment that really works?

A: Genital herpes is extremely common, affecting one person in five in the U.S. It also is quite treatable. There are three prescription medications used to fight the herpes virus: Famvir (famciclovir), Valtrex (valacyclovir) and Zovirax (acyclovir). For occasional outbreaks, one of these should be taken at the first sign. People with frequent outbreaks may be able to prevent them by taking one of these drugs daily. Although the virus can be transmitted even when there are no visible sores, daily antiviral use may reduce the risk. Conscientious use of condoms also can be helpful.

One woman wrote: “I had horrible outbreaks at first. . . . I’ve been married for 14 years now to a wonderful man who still doesn’t have it, probably because I take Valtrex every day and abstain from sex if I have an outbreak. . . . I get outbreaks maybe twice a year, and they are only an annoyance.”

Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist, and Teresa Graedon is an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition. www.peoplespharmacy.com